Lower Decks
by Aesop
Summary: There's more to the Star Trek universe than just the people we see in the show. There are always people behind the scenes. I thought they deserved some stories of their own. The canon characters will make brief appearances, but will not be a primary focus of the stories.
1. Permission To Come Aboard?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 1

PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD? I'M DONE

He sighed as he surveyed the devastation. This was not going to be easy to explain, and he was late reporting to his new assignment on top of everything else. Not the best way to make a good first impression on his new captain. _Best get on with it_. "Are we done here, inspector Walsh?" he asked the police investigator in charge of the scene.

The other man shook his head in amused disbelief at the mess before him. This was not how he thought he would be starting his shift. Civilian police rarely had anything to do with Star Fleet, and he was beginning to be gad of that fact. "Yeah. We're done," he answered, looking back at Davies. "Guess I know where to contact you if we need more than your statement. You sure you don't want to get that-"

Davies nodded tiredly. "Soon as I'm on board. Ship is due to warp out soon, so I can't delay."

"Okay," Walsh agreed reluctantly. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Davies sighed. He tapped his combadge and contacted the _Enterprise_.

OOOOOOOOOO

Commander William Riker was not pleased. Welcoming new crew on board for orientation was normally a routine matter. There were occasional hiccups, true, but he had never had someone miss reporting for a new assignment on time because they had stopped for lunch. Having to beam their new security officer up from the restaurant rather than the planet-side starbase where he was supposed to be was simply unacceptable.

When the transporter chief indicated their late arrival was ready to be beamed aboard, Riker nodded and gave the order before turning to face the transporter pad, a scowl fixed on his face.

Whatever he had been planning to say stuck in his throat at the sight that appeared before him. Lieutenant Kevin Davies stood at an Academy perfect attention, his back straight, and he wouldn't have looked out of place on a recruiting poster if it weren't for the food stains covering his uniform and the fork sticking out of his side. "What?" He shook his head, setting the many questions he had aside for later. "Chief, transport the lieutenant to sick bay."

"That won't be necessary, sir. I can walk," Davies assured him. "It's not bad."

Riker considered, knowing full well that he wouldn't appreciate being treated like an invalid if he were in Davies' position, then he thought about Dr. Crusher's reaction if he allowed a wounded man to delay treatment simply for his pride's sake. "We'll let Dr. Crusher make that determination." The man looked like he might protest further, but thought better of it. "Anything else?"

"No, sir." Davies glanced down at the fork stuck in his side. "I'm done."

Riker resisted the urge to roll his eyes and nodded to the chief before taking one last look at the man's bizarre condition. "I look forward to reading your report on this, lieutenant. I think."


	2. Diplomacy At Its Finest

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 2 Diplomacy At Its Finest

Lt. Worf reviewed his duty roster and the plans for the conference one last time before briefing his team. The trade negotiations the _Enterprise_ personnel were overseeing were delicate, but they were not likely to be a source of trouble. The outcome was crucial locally, but no one outside the system was likely to care about them. There were no hotly contested issues, so the odds of violence between the dignitaries was low. The worst he expected his security team to have to deal with were petulant diplomats that weren't getting their way and possibly a drunk or two at the reception afterwards.

Everything seemed in place and he'd chosen the men carefully based on their experience. The new man, Davies, was a good choice for keeping an eye on the diplomats at the reception. He was large and well-built for a human, the sort who could discourage trouble by his mere presence.

Rising from his desk, he made his way to the briefing room where the current shift was awaiting orders. He handled the routine shipboard assignments first, getting them out of the way. Then he turned his attention to the conference.

"Morris and Yuki, you are on the entrance, verify and then double-check everyone coming in. Suvek and Davies you…" He broke off when he noted the blinking light on his PADD. He accessed the notation it indicated and stared at it for a moment. "Davies? Can you tell me why there is a notation on your record that you should never be assigned as security to a diplomatic function?" All eyes turned to Davies who suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

"He actually put that in there? Huh. I thought he was joking."

"Admirals don't joke," Worf informed him, glaring at the man. "Explain."

"Well, sir, the last time I was assigned as security to a diplomatic reception, I caused a minor incident."

"How did that happen?" one of the others asked before he could think better of it. Worf turned to look at him, but Davies answered before the security chief could say anything.

"I answered a question."

Worf glanced back at him. "You answered a question?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of the Klingon.

"Some junior attaché from the Vulcan delegation asked me a question, and I answered it as fully and honestly as I could." He shook his head. "Admiral Paris told me at length that I shouldn't have done that."

"Did answering create a security breach?" Suvek asked.

"No," Davies repressed a sigh at the memory. "I think I just embarrassed him."

There was a smothered chuckle from somewhere in the room. "This I've got to here," Morris muttered.

"Not now," Worf said authoritatively. "We've all got work to do, but I'm sure we would all like to hear about it later." He quickly reassigned Davies, as he couldn't buck an admiral's orders if he wanted to, and sent everyone on their way.

OOOOOOOOOO

"So tell us about this diplomatic incident," Morris said as they settled around their usual table in Ten Forward. The conference had gone off without a hitch, at least from a security standpoint, and everyone was ready to relax for a bit. And to hear a story.

Davies glanced around the table at Morris, Worf, Yuki, Suvek, Travis, and Singh. All looked fairly eager, even their stoic chief in his own way. He didn't really object to telling that particular story. It never failed to get a laugh, but it was still embarrassing. There were so many better ways he could have handled a couple of bored Vulcans, but hindsight was 20/20.

"Good work today, everyone." They looked up to see Commander Riker standing near the head of the table. "The conference went very smoothly."

"I heard nothing was accomplished," Travis said, a trifle confused.

"True," Riker nodded, "but that's on the diplomats. Our job was to provide safe neutral territory. In that respect, the day was a success."

"Would you care to join us, commander?" Worf asked, gesturing to an empty chair at the table. "Lieutenant Davies was about to tell us why he is not allowed near diplomatic functions."

Riker glanced at Davies curiously and the younger man repressed a sigh. "Will it be as entertaining as the fork incident?" That got him some curious looks and Davies gave up and sighed.

"I'll leave that for you to determine, sir. Please, have a seat." He glanced around the table as Riker settled in. "This is actually kind of familiar, and is how I got in trouble in the first place."

"Oh?" Worf asked.

"I should start with some background," Davies began, holding up a hand, asking for patience. "I'm from Elari. It's a young colony out on the rim. I was actually the first person born there to attend the Academy. It's a minor distinction, but it made my folks proud. Thing to remember about Elari is that it is almost exclusively Human." He looked around at the others. "In those days, it was just Humans. I had read about other Federation races in school of course, but never seen a non-human with my own eyes before I left for the Academy. That's actually going to be kind of important later."

"I've been to Elari," Morris offered. "Pretty place. I was assigned to the _Louis Pasteur_ when it dropped medical supplies there once. Helped set up a clinic and move a couple of new doctors in there."

Davies nodded. "Mom wrote me about that. They've been a real boon to the colony. What's important is how little I knew when I left Elari. When I graduated the Academy, there was still a lot I didn't know." He grimaced at the memory. "I suppose there were better ways of handling it, but it seemed the right response at the time."

He paused a moment and thought back. "I was told it would be an easy, probably boring, assignment. Just stand by the door at the reception and watch for trouble. Drunken diplomat would likely be the worst I'd have to deal with. Who knew?" He took in the expectant faces at the table and plunged ahead. "I was keeping an eye on the room, watching the delegates talking and eating and generally trying not to look bored silly. There was one group I kept an especially close eye on, and that didn't go unnoticed."

OOOOOOOOOO

_So far, so good_, Ensign Davies thought as he watched the delegates. Everyone was behaving themselves. No arguments, no heavy drinking. It looked like it would be a quiet night. The delegates to the conference included Vulcans, Telarites, Humans, and Andorians. He didn't really know what the conference was about or particularly care. Trade disputes were outside his purview, and he didn't need to know the details in order to interrupt an argument or escort a drunken delegate to his quarters.

Letting his eyes roam the hall again, he couldn't stop himself from focusing on one group in particular. It was unnecessary, he knew, but he couldn't help it. There would be no trouble from that quarter, he was certain. It would be just as the lieutenant had said; a quiet, easy assignment. His hopes for that seemed to summon trouble down on him.

Two junior delegates that he had noticed talking quietly a few moments before approached him, and he straightened unconsciously. He hadn't had any instructions about what to do if he was approached other than 'be polite.'

"Excuse me," the taller of the two addressed him. "My colleague and I were wondering if you would settle a debate between us."

"If I can," he answered politely, "and if it doesn't interfere with my duties."

The Vulcan nodded in seeming approval of the sentiment. "We have noticed that you are watching the Vulcan delegation closely and we are curious as to why. Savok," he indicated his companion, "is of the opinion that Vulcans frighten you for some reason, while I suspect that you merely find such superior intellects intimidating."

Davies blinked at the two in confusion for a moment, honestly not knowing how to answer that. He rallied quickly and thought a moment. If they had been Human, he'd have guessed that they were bored and he was the designated entertainment for the evening. Since they were Vulcans, he couldn't be sure if that was the case. It seemed a little petty for a people who were so highly regarded. It probably wasn't any more complicated than that, though. They were bored, something he could well understand; the party was a snore. That didn't mean he wanted to entertain these two. After a moment's thought, he decided to just be honest as he'd always been taught.

"Vulcans don't frighten or intimidate me, but my first meeting with a Vulcan taught me to be wary." The two Vulcans glanced at each other, apparently not expecting that answer. "First impressions tend to linger, logical or not," Ensign Davies shrugged. "The first Vulcan I met didn't make a very good impression."

"How so?" Savok asked.

"I met him not long after leaving my home colony. It's pretty far out on the rim and all the colonists are human. I'd never seen a non-human with my own eyes before I left home to attend the academy. The trip there was interrupted by an ion storm and I wound up stranded on station K15 for a couple of days. I wasn't the only one stranded of course. Several ships were stuck at the station, waiting out the bad weather."

"And it was here you met your first Vulcan?" an Andorian delegate asked, having noticed the conversation and drifted over, apparently as bored as everyone else. In fact, he seemed to be drawing a crowd.

"Yes, sir. The storm was just the latest delay he had suffered. He was supposed to have been home on Vulcan over a week before. What happened, I learned later, wasn't exactly his fault. At the time, though, I knew nothing about Vulcans and had no way of knowing he was stuck far from home going his first pon farr alone. I just thought he was crazy."

There were snickers from his growing audience and he realized things were getting out of hand, especially when he saw the Vulcans in the audience looking more stone-faced than usual. One of the pair who approached him opened his mouth, probably to try and put a stop to the story before it became even more embarrassing, but the Andorian spoke first. "What happened?"

"To his credit," Davies answered, trying to think of a way out of this without being rude to anyone, "he tried to handle things properly, meaning he tried to find a wife." He shook his head at the memory, still having a little trouble believing his bad luck. "Unfortunately, the Human woman he picked, at random I think, wasn't very receptive." There were more snickers. "I didn't know what was going on at the time. She rushed by me in the corridor, looking stressed. There was a Vulcan male chasing after her while listing logical reasons they should get married. It was really kind of creepy."

The Andorians and Telarites burst out laughing, much to the Vulcans' discomfort.

"She doubled back a little while later and noticed me. I was still trying to figure out what was going on, and was surprised when she hid behind me and asked me to hold still."

"That can't have gone well," one of the humans in the audience noted.

"No," Davies agreed. "He might have been irrational at the time, but he wasn't stupid. He spotted her and… decided that I was challenging him for her."

"That must have been a most trying encounter," Savok offered, breaking into the story. "I can understand your reaction now and hope you weren't hurt too badly."

Davies shook his head. "Couple of lost teeth, a cracked rib, and some weird bruises." He rubbed his shoulder at the memory. "He kept trying to pinch me for some reason. I had to break a couple of his ribs and dislocate his shoulder to get him to stop. What was that about, anyway?"

OOOOOOOOOO

"'What was that about?'" Riker asked, looking surprised.

Davies nodded to the first officer. "When I'd met this guy on the station, I knew nothing about the Vulcan nerve pinch," Davies shrugged. "I didn't know what he was doing and just kept him from getting a decent grip. When I asked at the reception, everyone thought I was mocking the Vulcans, so no one answered. They just laughed again. The nerve pinch never really came up after the incident on K15. It became one of those things you always mean to look up, but there are always more urgent things to do, especially at the Academy." Some of his audience nodded, knowing how true that was.

"So you embarrassed the Vulcan delegation with your story and then appeared to be mocking them." Riker summarized, not sure whether to be sympathetic or amused. "I can see how that would create problems."

"Yes, sir," Davies nodded. "The admiral explained it to me at length." There were a few sympathetic winces from around the table.


	3. The Doctor is Out

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 3 The Doctor is Out

"First away mission?" Beverly Crusher asked as she checked her preparations one last time.

"Not exactly," Deborah answered. "I've done field research projects while in med-school, studying xenobiology as part of the advanced studies program." She'd been assigned to the Enterprise only a week before. Fresh out of her medical training it was quite an accomplishment to be posted to the Federation flagship, and she was determined to do the best job she could.

"It's a bit different with shipboard duty," the CMO warned. "Stick close to your security detail."

Deborah nodded. "I'd be happier if we could use the transporters."

"Me too, but atmospheric conditions make them unreliable, sensors too." She finished packing her kit. "Alright, Dr. Chambers, time to get going. We'll be in orbit in five minutes and heading down within two after that. The distress call was urgent but the translator is having trouble with their language, something about seismic activity."

"Joy," Deborah deadpanned as she followed the CMO out of sick bay. She'd been in a quake once. It wasn't her favorite memory, but she felt certain she could remain professional as long as she had work to focus on.

They made their way to the shuttle bay with two more doctors, three nurses, two engineers and a contingent of security. Once boarded, Crusher gave them a final briefing while they waited.

"They call themselves the Vatai," she began once she had everyone's attention. "The Federation has never encountered them before, but they need help. Their colony is being destroyed by quakes. We weren't the intended recipient of their distress call, but we're here. We think we're looking at about 80 people."

"Rather a small colony," one of the nurses observed.

"We don't know their situation," Crusher shook her head. "Could be the initial settlement team. Could be a breakaway group. Doesn't matter. Shuttles are being dispatched to pick up as many as we can while Commander LaForge works on the transporter. He hopes to be able to pierce the natural interference in the ionosphere soon enough to beam out survivors more quickly. Unfortunately, we can't wait. The engineers will be setting up pattern enhancers in anticipation of his success."

Ensigns Hutchins and Alva nodded. "Finding a safe place to set up will probably be the hard part," Alva offered as the pilot assigned to them guided the shuttle out of the bay.

"Our priority will be getting the wounded to as safe a place as possible. There are bound to be injuries, some of them may preclude moving the patient, but don't take any foolish risks. Any structure in the colony is at risk of collapse. Get the people out into the open if at all possible before trying to treat them." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"We'll be down in a few minutes," the pilot called. "I'm setting down in a field near the colony. Looks like the best choice at the moment. There are already people there."

"Out in the open, away from collapsing structures," one of the engineers nodded. "Are we getting any sensor readings?"

"Unfortunately," the pilot answered, tapping a few keys. "Looks like the entire region is unstable. That safe field won't be safe for long. Get those people on board as fast as you can."

Deborah called up a view of the landscape on her Padd. The colony was located in the foothills of a modest mountain range. The area around the colony was heavily forested, assuming the huge featherlike growths were the planet's equivalent of trees. Some of those structures shuddered and fell, even as she watched. The landscape shifted in violent and frightening ways.

"This is not going to be fun," she muttered.

"Another day another dollar," Davies, one of the security detail offered with a smile. Deborah smiled slightly in return.

"Here we go, folks," the pilot called as he brought the shuttle in for a landing. The ground was quiet for the moment, the aftershock having passed, and the _Enterprise_ crew took full advantage to deploy with as little trouble as possible. Filing out of the ship, they waited while Dr. Crusher greeted the colonists.

"I'm Dr. Beverly Crusher of the Federation starship _Enterprise_. We came in response to your distress call."

There was a confused shuffling before one of the colonists stepped forward. They were largely humanoid with four fingers on each hand and delicate features. Their skin ranged from ash grey to ebony and snow white hair. All in all, Chambers decided, an attractive people.

"I am B'eLath of Vatai. Our colony shaking apart. You…wish to help?" The question was hesitant and it was clear that the translators were still puzzling out their language.

"Yes," Crusher nodded. She was careful to keep her speech simple and clear. It was things like non-standard usage and contractions that gave the translators the most trouble. "We want to help. We can take your people to our ship. You will be safe there." This was greeted with mixed reactions. Most seemed relieved. Some, however, seemed suspicious.

"Don't know us. Why help?" One asked. This was interspersed with sounds that the Starfleet officers assumed were words that the translator couldn't render into English. The question, however, was clear enough.

"You seem to need it," Crusher answered. "That is enough for us." The planet chose that moment to rattle everyone's teeth and the group barely kept their feet. This caused any remaining reluctance among the colonists to vanish. "Is anyone here injured?"

There were a few injuries among the group, so Dr. Graham and nurse Aloi stayed behind while the rest moved out through the colony to help those who hadn't made it to the field. Chambers found herself with Davies and Travis, following a volunteer from the group of colonists. S'lem led them into the settlement proper and the group spread out to search.

"May I ask," Davies began, "how you got here? It is not a good place for a colony."

S'lem shook his head. "Unplanned. Ship went off course and crashed here. Not good place for a colony." Davies nodded in understanding. "Long way from home. Homeplace not know of us."

That complicated matters, Deborah realized. If the Vatai homeworld was unaware that their people were missing, then no relief or additional colonists would be coming. Depending on how far from home they were, getting them back there could be a real problem. "What happened to your ship?" she asked.

"Took it apart and build colony. Mostly too damaged. Quakes buried rest." This speech was interspersed with the same sounds Chambers had heard at the landing field. It seemed there were still a fair number of words that the translator had no matches for yet.

There was no more time for questions as calls for help drew their attention. She found the first patient quickly. The male Vatai was pinned under a fallen beam that had landed on his leg. Davies managed to shift it with S'lem's help while Deborah pulled him clear and scanned his leg. She found a clean break, set it, splinted it and had Travis carry him to the shuttle. Any time consuming treatment, such as knitting a broken bone, could wait until he was aboard the ship.

They continued the search, turning up six more in short order, three of whom were beyond help, crushed by falling debris or having taken a very bad fall. Only one required emergency surgery on the spot to survive. Deborah stabilized the patient, closed her open wounds and had a team take her by stretcher to the shuttle. The surgery was complicated by two minor aftershocks that nearly killed doctor and patient despite the fact they were out in the open.

"The sweep is nearly done," Davies reported, standing up carefully from where the last tremor had tossed him. "Two shuttles have taken back 35 survivors. Two more are being loaded up."

"Any luck with the transporters?" she asked, closing a gash in an old man's leg.

"Not yet," he shook his head. "We may be done by-." The ground beneath them lurched violently, throwing both off their feet. The shaking continued and intensified, forcing them to remain where they were. When it ended, shouts and screams became audible, coming from the direction of their improvised landing field.

"I have to get him stabilized," Deborah said, looking over her patient, who had lost consciousness and had had several of his wounds reopened. "Find out what happened." Davies nodded and moved off, leaving her to concentrate on her patient. "Hold on," she told him. "It's not too bad. I get you stable and we can get you on a shuttle and out of here. Something to look forward to, right?" She didn't know if he could understand her, so she kept her voice calm and soothing, hoping something would carry over. The tricorder indicated he was bleeding internally, but she couldn't reach the crushed artery, let alone repair it under current conditions.

Davies returned after a moment. "The shuttles are gone. The ground under them collapsed. One is completely buried and the other…. Isn't going anywhere either."

"What about the people on board?"

"Not sure. I could only raise one of the shuttles. The pilot is hurt, he isn't sure about the passengers. We're stuck here until the transporters are working or until the other shuttles return. At short range, the transporters on the shuttle should work." Chambers nodded, continuing to work on her patient.

"What about the engineers and the pattern enhancers?"

"I can't raise them," Davies shook his head. "Travis hasn't come back either."

"Find anyone you can. We need a new rally point if that field is so unstable."

"My orders are to stick with you," he said, scanning the ruined colony for any sign of movement. "At least until Travis or one of the others is here."

"It's not going to make much difference if we don't start getting people together." He nodded and started trying to raise anyone he could find to arrange a new meeting place and coordinate their efforts.

With the loss of the shuttles, everyone was scattered. Dr. Crusher, who reported that she was trapped in one of the shuttles tending to wounded, so could be of limited help in that regard. "Alright," Davies called on a general frequency. "The town square is relatively free of debris. It's small for a shuttle, but we can manage. Try to get the colonists there. All of the buildings there have collapsed, but the way in is clear. Less chance of something falling on our heads."

Acknowledgements came in and Travis returned in time to pick up the wounded male Chambers had finally stabilized. The security officer was covered in dirt and limping slightly but insisted he was fine.

They made their way to the central square and found people already gathering there. Dr. Graham had already established an area for triage the colonists left on the ground were being tended to. As soon as her patient was made as comfortable as possible, she joined the search for other survivors with Travis accompanying her. Davies had found himself much in demand as the senior security officer available; so he stayed to coordinate. Their search was largely fruitless until they heard a faint sound from the forest. Both followed the sound till they reached a fissure in the ground opened by a previous quake.

Deborah dropped to her knees at the edge of the fissure and called out. There was a frantic response from whoever was down there. It sounded like a young girl. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

"I hear!" a young girl called up. "I fell going home!"

"Don't worry. We'll get you out," Deborah assured her. "What's your name?" She looked over at Travis who was already speaking quietly to people at the square.

"Aela," the voice answered. Deborah still couldn't make her out in the shadows below and wondered how far down she was.

"Don't get too close to the edge," Travis warned, glancing over at them. "Someone is coming with a rope." Deborah nodded and turned back to the fissure.

"Aela? Are you hurt?"

There was a second's hesitation. "No."

"Are you stuck? Will we be able to pull you out when the rope arrives?"

"Not stuck. Who you? Don't know any Deborah."

"Our ship answered your distress call. We're evacuating everyone."

There was another hesitation. "You not Vatai?" she asked a note of worry in her voice.

"No. I'm Human. You don't need to be afraid, though. You'll find we're quite friendly. I'll get you out of there soon and-" a new tremor chose that moment to strike, pitching her head-first into the fissure. She snatched at roots and outcropping as she fell, managing to slow herself and get her feet under her before she landed, barely. "Or," she finished lamely, struggling to her feet on the floor of the cave where she found herself, "maybe I'll just join you down here."

There was an ebon-skinned girl with fine white hair hanging to her waist, regarding her with an unreadable expression. The girl glanced up at the opening above them then back at her. "That's not helpful."

Deborah rolled her eyes. "At least you didn't say 'thanks for dropping in.'" Aela blinked in confusion. "Never mind. Now we both need to get out of here." She turned to look around. The cave was surprisingly spacious and had two exits, not counting the one in the ceiling. It was actually, she realized, a wide spot in a tunnel. "How extensive are these caves?"

"They under everything," the girl, who looked about 12 if Human standards were applicable, shrugged. "Quakes make too dangerous to play in. Mama said…"

"Your mother?" Aela had broken off and was staring at the ground. The girl shook her head. Deborah frowned slightly, guessing that, for one reason or another, the girl's mother wasn't around anymore. Deciding not to press, she called up to Travis, who she could see against the afternoon light. "Travis! We're both okay. When can we expect that rope?"

"It's coming," he promised. "Just sit tight and try not to fall down any more holes."

"Funny," she scowled up at him. "In the meantime, follow your own advice and get back. We don't need you down here, too." He nodded and moved out of sight. "Don't worry," she said, turning back to Aela. "We'll be out of here soon." Aela regarded her curiously for a moment then nodded.

"Are the translators still not working right?" Deborah wondered aloud.

"Understand you," Aela answered. "You just say things weird."

Deborah smiled. "You're not the first to say so." The ground began to shake at that point and she grabbed Aela and pulled her away from the opening in the roof as soil and rocks began to cascade into the chamber. The shaking continued and the rocks got bigger. "This way, not safe here anymore." She led the way into the tunnel seconds ahead of the collapse of the cave behind them. They stumbled along, being thrown against the walls of the tunnel and Deborah found the girl clinging to her. She wrapped her arms around Aela's head to protect her from collisions with the wall and tried to absorb as many of the impacts as she could. When the shaking stopped they found themselves in another section of tunnel, stable for the moment, but in complete darkness. It was narrow and made Deborah feel decidedly claustrophobic, so she pressed on until it widened out into a larger cavern.

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" Aela moaned, still clinging to her. Deborah gave her a comforting hug and tried to calm her as she fumbled a light from her kit and shone it around. She wasn't feeling exactly safe herself, she still felt closed in and trapped, but she did her best to comfort the girl. After a moment of being hugged and having her hair stroked, Aela loosened her grip and looked up. The light helped them both. "How get out?" she asked.

"Not sure," she admitted, deliberately keeping to simple sentences and ideas to make the translator's job easier and avoid confusing Aela. "There must be openings to the surface. We find one. We get out." She tapped her combadge but got no response. The rock, she reasoned, must have some mineral in it that interfered with the signal. That meant they'd have to find an opening of some sort to even be able to call for help. "Let's keep moving," she sighed. Shining the ahead of them, she took Aela by the hand and started walking.

The two pressed on through the tunnel only a short way before the feeling of fear and claustrophobia began to become overwhelming. Aela was feeling it too and clung to her hand almost painfully. The feeling got worse, strangely, as the tunnel widened into a fair-sized chamber. Part of the room had collapsed, and Deborah suspected another quake would bring the rest down as well. Aela was fidgeting madly, and Deborah desperately wanted to move on as well, but suddenly, something changed.

Both stopped as they felt a surge of desperate hope. _What?_ Deborah stopped in confusion and glanced at Aela, who looked just as baffled. An image of the pile of stone off to the side of the chamber filled her mind. Both turned toward it. "I think someone is asking for help," Deborah ventured. She couldn't think of another explanation, not that it made any real sense to her. She had met Betazoids and Vulcans, who were both telepathic species, but she'd never had an image projected into her mind before. Handing the light to Aela and asking her to keep it focused on her, she moved toward the pile and started carefully shifting rock. "Stay back," she warned the Vatai girl. "This could collapse and I don't want you hurt." Aela stayed back and watched as Deborah dug into the pile.

Clearing the area around the pile came first so she could safely approach and work at the opening without tripping over rocks in the dark. That took a little time, and the sense of urgency she was being bombarded with didn't help. When the area was clear, she began to move stones from the top of the pile, carefully choosing each one so to prevent the entire pile from shifting and coming down on her. She was soon panting and sweating, her hands were acquiring an impressive collection of scrapes and bruises, but she kept going.

Gradually, an opening came into view. The light Aela held revealed another chamber off to the side, blocked by the cave-in. In the dim light, she could barely make out a shape. Someone, she was now certain, was trapped in there. Gradually, Deborah widened the opening but knew it would take a while before it was large enough for anyone to come through. So it was a considerable shock when a shape she couldn't really make out darted through the opening which was barely the size of her head.

Whatever it was landed on her and wrapped itself around her body while bombarding her with feelings of warmth and gratitude. The empathic projection was the only thing that kept Deborah from panicking. She knew the creature meant her no harm. She'd never seen anything quite like it before. The alien looked, for all the world, like a feather boa. The tricorder retrieved from her kit revealed a complex biology and a well-developed, if strangely arranged, brain.

"Hello there," she said, stroking its odd covering. It felt like the feathers of a bird and stroking it seemed to have a calming effect. "Tricorder doesn't show any obvious injuries. Are you hurt anywhere?" The creature raised its head and regarded her with one of its three eyes; at least, the delicate structures on top and on either side of the head were probably eyes according to the tricorder. It seemed to consider the question for a moment, and then a sense of well-being washed over her followed by a wave of fatigue.

"So… unhurt, but tired? That's good." After a moment, Aela hesitantly approached. The creature turned an eye toward her and she stopped. A sense of approval emanated from the creature an Aela stepped forward and stroked the soft feathers.

"Nice."

The creature radiated mild amusement for a second before turning its head sharply toward the ceiling and the sense of urgency returned. Deborah got them moving again, and barely a moment after they'd left the chamber, another tremor brought it crashing down.

Deborah sighed when the shaking stopped. "I don't suppose you know how to get out of here?" she asked the creature, only to get confusion as a response. "And I thought talking to the Vatai was tricky," she muttered. "Um… Where is the way out?" She tried picturing the surface as it might be viewed from just inside a cave. A flash of comprehension followed by regret was her answer. "No clue, same as the rest of us." She considered asking where the creature had come from and how it got trapped, but suspected that that was well beyond the creature's ability to understand or at least to respond to.

"What name?" Aela asked. Deborah glanced at the girl, who was still holding the light for them. She played it around the tunnel floor ahead, but was looking at the creature who seemed content to cling to Deborah. The alien radiated polite confusion.

"How do you identify yourself?" Deborah tried. Comprehension. A confusing series of images and impressions filled their minds and both bipeds stopped in their tracks, blinking rapidly as if they'd suddenly had a strong light shined in their eyes.

"Can't pronounce that," Aela complained, and Deborah repressed a laugh.

"Would you object if we found something to call you that we could manage?" Deborah asked politely. They received an impression of amused acceptance. "Guess that's a 'yes.'"

Aela thought for a moment. "Names important," she offered thoughtfully. "Should mean something." She thought for a moment. "Hessa!"

"Hessa?" Deborah asked a flash of curiosity came from the newly christened Hessa.

"Flower from homeworld, Evtasi. We tried to grow here, but it wouldn't. Hessa same color as you. Looks delicate, but grows in hard to live places."

"Delicate but tough? I like that." Deborah smiled at the girl and Hessa radiated approval. "Hessa it is, then." It seemed odd to her, Deborah thought, how easily she adapted to Hessa's odd means of communication. She'd never encountered or even heard of anything like it before. Putting aside scientific curiosity for the time being, she got the small group moving again.

They pushed on through the tunnels, weathering more quakes and pausing periodically to rest and to try Deborah's combadge. They tried to be systematic about their choices of which turns they took in the tunnels, but there is no real pattern in a natural cave system and the larger caverns and tunnels were as likely to collapse as the small ones. More than once, their progress was blocked by a collapsed tunnel and they had to backtrack. There was still no response to Deborah's hails after several hours of searching.

She tried to keep up the others' spirits by talking, but attempts tended to fall flat. The three had too little in common, and communication was difficult.

They settled in one of the larger chambers, near one of the entrances, in case they had to run. "Getting tired of this," Deborah sighed as she settled on an outcropping to rest her tired feet and growing collection of bruises. Hessa moved off and coiled on the floor nearby. Aela just plopped down on the floor and stared at the ground. "I need to turn out the light for a while. Don't want to run out of power."

The light could be kept on for days, but there was no point exhausting it if it wasn't necessary, and they had no way of knowing how long they would be stuck. Aela nodded and Hessa consented, so the light went off. "Will ship leave?" Aela asked timidly.

"Not if they have a choice," Deborah answered, trying to sound more confident than she was. The sensors couldn't penetrate the rock any more than her com signal could. She pulled out her tricorder and did another scan of the area. As before, it showed no reliable readings beyond the next bend in the tunnel. The only good news is that it, once again, showed no indications that anything lived in the caves. Dealing with a local predator was the last thing they needed at the moment.

"Aela? Can you tell us about Evtasi?" Deborah asked in an effort to distract the girl and herself. Aela looked up at the source of the voice, even though she could not see the older female. It was a question that was easy and complex and she thought a moment before answering.

"Born here. Don't know much about Evtasi."

"You've been on the planet your whole life?" This seemed to startle Deborah. "That can't have been easy. When did the quakes start?"

"Always quakes," she said after taking a moment to puzzle out what the Human meant. "Not bad till fifteen rotations ago." She wanted to put off more questions about her life on the colony so asked a question of her own. "What ship like?"

"The _Enterprise_ is the Federation flagship. I serve as a doctor on board. It's a beautiful ship, and has some of the best people serving on her. They won't leave us if they have any choice at all, so don't worry."

Aela nodded, even though Deborah couldn't see it. "Why you help Vatai? Know the people?"

"No. You just seemed to need help. We've never met the Vatai and don't really have anything to gain." She looked to Hessa. "What about you Hessa? Are you native to this planet?"

There was a sense of confusion for a moment, and Deborah quietly kicked herself for the phrasing. Then an image was projected to them of passing stars and the planet they were stranded on from orbit.

"So you're not native," Deborah concluded. "Any chance your ship can help us?" The answer was a flash of regret and an image of a buried alien vessel, probably Hessa's. "Too bad. Guess that means you'll be leaving with me and Aela, unless you've grown fond of this place."

The answer carried a decidedly sour note and what Deborah suspected was a comment on her sense of humor.

"Why you come here?" Aela asked. "Why anyone come here on purpose?" Neither of them understood the answer to that.

"You're an explorer?" Deborah ventured. The answer was a qualified yes, but she didn't understand the qualifier. "We may be able to help you get home, find your own people." A mixture of gratitude and sadness was her response. Deborah hesitated, not sure what to make of that, and decided not to press. "First things first, though. We have to get out of here."

She was about to rise to her feet when she noticed Aela's hair. Her white locks were dimly visible whereas before the chamber had seemed completely black. "What's wrong?" Aela asked.

"There's light in here," Deborah answered, looking about carefully for the source. "Not a lot, but maybe…" She hit her combadge, hoping that even a small opening to the surface would be enough. "Chambers to _Enterprise_; come in please."

"_Enterprise_, here. Dr. Chambers?" Lt. Worf's voice answered. "What is your…situation?"

"I'm stuck in a cave system under the colony with two others. Can you transport us out?"

"Please repeat….transmission unclear."

"Can you beam us out?" she asked, trying to keep the message short and simple.

"Negative. The transporters….a lock." There was a moment of silence. "Stand by." After a moment of silence, another voice came through, much clearer.

"Dr. Chambers, this is Captain Picard. What is your status?"

"I'm trapped in a network of caves below the surface with two others. We have to keep moving because the caves keep collapsing when a tremor hits. Haven't found a way out yet."

"Communication is proving difficult, doctor. Minerals in the rock block most signals and render the sensors all but useless. Atmospheric conditions aren't helping much, either. You'll have to find a way to the surface before we can retrieve you." There was a slight rumble and Deborah turned on the light and gestured to the other two.

"We'll do our best, captain. It would help if someone on the surface could give us an idea of which way to go." Hessa wound her way up Deborah's arm and around her shoulders while Aela took her other hand.

"We're currently using available resources to rescue personnel from the buried shuttles. We'll divert a shuttle to mapping the cave system as soon as we're able." She got them moving toward a new tunnel as the shaking intensified.

"Thank you. We'll hang on till then. I don't think we can stay in our current location, long, though."

"We'll find you," Picard promised, even as the shaking grew worse. The clatter of falling stones got the group moving more quickly.

"I'll check in when I'm able. Chambers out." The group moved on. The tunnels were level for the most part, but some sloped up and others led deeper into the ground. The first sort gave them hope, but each tunnel leading up turned out to be blocked by a cave-in.

There were awkward attempts to make conversation, not all of which were understood by the others. All but the simplest of Hessa's projections were met with confusion and fumbling responses. Aela's questions about the Enterprise and Federation gained her answers she didn't really understand, as they were too far outside her experience.

This led to prolonged periods of silence which seemed to suit them best. They helped each other without being asked. Deborah lifted Aela over difficult areas, while Hessa would investigate partially caved in tunnels to see if digging through was worth the effort. In the process, the two humanoids learned that Hessa could move objects with her mind, provided they weren't too large or tightly wedged in place. Sadly, none of her investigations bore fruit. The caved in sections were either dead ends or too unstable to risk digging through. Each such discovery depressed them and each time one would take on the task of comforting the others

When Aela was too tired and beginning to despair, Deborah would pull the girl into a hug while Hessa wrapped herself around both of them, knowing to a telepathic certainty that Deborah was just better at hiding her distress. When Hessa herself returned from one of her explorations, frustrated by yet another dead end, Aela would carry her for a time, stroking her feathers and humming a children's song she had always enjoyed.

Deborah found it ironic that the three communicated best when they didn't try. That didn't mean that she gave up on the idea of better communications with the other two. Hessa hadn't given up either. It was she who asked Deborah about her family.

Deborah puzzled out the images of a group of humanoid shapes and the projected sense of belonging after a moment. "You want to know about my family?" She got confirmation and a curious look from Aela as they settled down to rest once more. "Not much to tell. It's just me and my folks, and they split up while I was at the Academy. I see one of them every once in a while, but never together, not anymore."

"Why not?" Aela asked.

"They stopped getting along," Deborah shrugged. "It got to the point they were arguing all the time. Neither one was happy. Not long after I was out of the house and living at the academy, they split up."

"Humans not mate for life?" Aela asked.

"No. Ideally, matches last a life time, but that's not always the case." She looked curiously at the girl. "Vatai mate for life?"

"Yes," the girl nodded. "Mates….chemistry?" She broke off. "Hard explain."

"Hard to explain," Deborah's lips quirked in a slight smile. "That's true for every species. What about your family?"

"Only father and me now," Aela said sadly. "Mama gone."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Deborah said quietly, as Hessa projected bit of sadness. "Well at least you and your father will soon be moving to a safer place."

"Hope he safe," Aela murmured worriedly.

"There's no sense assuming the worst," Deborah advised. Aela nodded glumly. "Can you tell us about your family, Hessa?"

There was a pause as the alien considered. Then she projected an image of dozens, if not hundreds of creatures near identical to her. Then an image of what must have Hessa departing her world and a crushing sense of loneliness. The others shuddered and withdrew a bit. Hessa quickly sent an apology.

"It's…alright," Deborah sent after a moment. She gave Aela a one-armed hug that they both needed before focusing on their friend again. "You're a very social people, aren't you? You need to be around others of your kind?"

Hessa projected agreement.

"So why did you leave?" Aela asked. The response was slow in coming, and when it did, it didn't make much sense. "You had to leave?" Aela ventured. "They forced you?" A negative response.

"It was something that needed to be done," Deborah ventured. "It didn't have to be you, but you went anyway?" After a moment, she got a qualified yes, but the qualifier was beyond her ability to interpret, something that would have frustrated all of them if they weren't so tired. "We'll get better at communicating," Deborah promised. "Which reminds me." She tapped her combadge. "Chambers to _Enterprise_, do you read?" There was no response. "Let's keep moving," she sighed.

It was about an hour later, when someone got through to her. "Crusher to Chambers, can you hear me?"

"Chambers he- Ow!" Deborah cried nearly tripping in surprise and eagerness to hear from the ship, startling Aela and alarming Hessa who was riding her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Crusher's concerned voice came through clearly as Deborah found a place to sit so she could rub her abused shin.

"I'm fine, but my shin has seen better days." Hessa sent a pulse of concern and curiosity. "Hmm? Oh, a shin is a device Humans use to find things in the dark." Aela giggled and then giggled harder when they both felt Hessa deciding not to ask. Deborah wondered briefly how she could 'feel' that.

"We've finished the evacuation, and we're using the shuttles sensors at close range to try to map the cave system," Crusher said, making her own decision not to ask.

"Please tell me we're near an exit," Deborah sighed.

"Sorry, you've got a way to go, but we can guide you out."

"Best news we've heard all day," Deborah answered. "So, which way from here?" All three perked up at the news and found new strength.

"Follow the tunnel you're in now until you reach a branch and take the right-hand tunnel." They started moving again, getting as much information as they could before the minerals in the soil cut off communications again. They wove their way through the tunnels, through wide airy caverns and narrow, rubble choked tunnels, over unstable piles of boulders and across a fast flowing underground stream.

During their rest stops, which grew more frequent over time, Dr. Crusher tried to distract them, but the conversations she overheard were a bit confusing. "I understand you grew up on Earth."

"Born and raised," Deborah confirmed.

"Is your family still there?"

"My mom is. Dad lives on the Cygnus colony. Guess they decided they couldn't share a single star system."

There was an awkward pause, and Hessa sent another pulse of confusion. Aela explained. "They split up after she left for the Academy." This seemed to baffle the smaller alien as well.

"Oh. Siblings?"

"No," Deborah answered a bit wistfully, "which is a shame I always wanted a little sister. After they had me I guess they didn't sibble anymore."

There was another awkward pause and Aela spoke again. "Dr. Crusher?"

"Yes?"

"Was that a bad word or is she just not making sense?" Deborah laughed at this and Hessa sent her a pulse of fond exasperation as Deborah assured the girl it was the latter.

The communication was intermittent and more quakes complicated matters, but eventually, they did come to a blocked opening that Beverly Crusher assured them was a way out. As they listened, they could hear people at work on the other side. They were quite happy to follow instructions and just wait, well back from the entrance.

The crew outside worked quickly but carefully, predicting another quake inside an hour. They barely made it. The ground was starting to shake when O'Brien told them they had enough of an opening to transport the three of them out of the cave. All the remaining crew were beamed up together as well, leaving the planet to shake in peace.

They materialized in the transporter room to find Commander Riker waiting for them. "Welcome back, Dr. Chambers." Then his eyes scanned the transporter pad. "I was told you were bringing aboard two survivors."

"I did," she answered.

"Where is the other? And-" Hessa raised her head from Deborah's shoulder and looked at Riker, causing the first officer to pause with his mouth open. "Oh."

Aela looked up at Hessa and then at Riker. "What feather boa? And should Hessa take offense?"

Deborah mustered a tired chuckle and shook her head. "Can I try answering that after a meal, a shower and eight hours sleep?" She glanced at the 'feather boa.' "Okay, 10 hours."

"I think that can be arranged," Riker answered smoothly, getting over his surprise. "Quarters have been arranged for the Vatai; I'll escort you. I'm sure you're eager to find your parents."

Aela nodded, but didn't let go of Deborah's hand. "I'll go with you," Deborah promised. Riker read the situation and nodded.

"This way, then. Most of those not in sickbay are gathered in cargo bay two." He led the way to the makeshift refugee camp. There were a depressingly small number of Vatai there, but still too many to assign individual quarters even if they hadn't insisted on staying together.

There was a common area, where most were gathered as well as partitions set up for private sleeping areas. Captain Picard was there, speaking to an elderly Vatai who seemed to have been made spokesman for the group. Aela looked around hopefully as they reached the main group, but she soon frowned. "Papa?" she called. "Where are you, papa?"

Several of the Vatai turned to look at her, and then hastily looked away, returning to whatever it was they'd been doing. Deborah glanced at the Vatai and finally at Aela in confusion. The reactions of the others visibly alarmed the girl. She began moving frantically through the bay. Each of the Vatai turned from her, only a few giving her a sad look before doing so. Finally, the elder called to her.

"I am sorry child; Metlis of House Ketha is dead. You are alone." He seemed extremely uncomfortable speaking to her for some reason, but after a moment, steeled himself to do so. There are none here of your blood. Are there any on the homeworld?"

Aela hesitated for a moment, and then looked at her feet. "No," she said in a small voice.

"That is unfortunate. Until homeward passage can be arranged and the appropriate institutions notified, you will serve the community as best you are able. Try to conduct yourself accordingly." His tone was cool and businesslike, completely, in Deborah's opinion, inappropriate for dealing with a child who'd lost her father.

She glanced at the captain for some cue. He was maintaining a fine poker face, always the consummate diplomat, and it was impossible to tell what he might be making of all this. She was about to step forward to speak to the elder when she felt a burst of anger. Everyone in the room felt it apparently as everyone but herself and Aela flinched and glanced about in alarm. Hessa launched herself from Deborah's shoulders and flattening her body, glided the short distance to Aela and wrapped herself around the crying girl.

The elder stepped back in alarm as did several others. Picard moved to intervene, but Deborah stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Its fine, Captain; Aela's in no danger. Hessa gives the best hugs." The captain looked startled, but didn't have time to respond before Deborah moved to enfold both Aela and Hessa in her arms.

There was nothing anyone could say to comfort Aela, but Hessa had apparently found a way. Deborah felt it as she hugged them. The alien's efforts were mostly directed toward Aela, but those around them could still feel her projections. Warmth, acceptance, affection, belonging.

The three were the center of attention. Crew and refugees alike stared in surprise and confusion, although each group was confused for a different reason. None of the Starfleet crew had ever seen anything quite like Hessa. Scientific curiosity was aroused, even in those who had no interest in the biological sciences, in the sudden appearance of such a remarkable creature.

The Vatai, while equally unfamiliar with Hessa's race, were confused by the reactions of the two aliens. The elder looked to Picard. "I do not understand this, Captain."

"I think we are all a little surprised Elder Havas," Picard answered honestly.

"They treat this one like blood, but they are of different species. Yet, she is nothing to them."

"Nothing?" Picard glanced at the elderly Vatai in surprise.

"She is too young to find a place in society and has no blood to guide her or take care of her. They treat her like blood."

"Are you saying that orphaned children have no standing in your culture?" Picard asked, remembering his past dealings with Cardassians and some of the things he'd heard about them.

Havas seemed uncomfortable with the question, but nodded. "You are an outsider, and such things are not discussed with outsiders, but you have been beyond generous." He paused. "It is a difficult topic." Havas began. "While her circumstances are regrettable, it doesn't change the fact that she is too young to contribute to the community. Among our people, to be so young and without blood…it is to be as nothing."

Only his years of experience as a ship's captain and diplomat kept Picard's reaction from showing. "Nothing? I don't understand," he said honestly.

"On Evtasi, there are institutions that take in and train such cases. They are taught to be useful to society in whichever way is deemed appropriate for them. When they are of proper age and their debt to society is paid, they have the opportunity to reenter our society properly."

"I see." Picard offered in his best diplomatic manner. It wasn't after all, his place to judge their laws or customs.

"I see why you don't discuss it with outsiders," Deborah offered looking up. "If Humans treated children so atrociously, I'd be ashamed too."

"Dr. Chambers," Picard snapped.

"It's alright, Captain Picard," Havas intervened. "We have both encountered new species who do not understand or approve of how our societies function. Her reaction is not new to us. I don't seek understanding or approval. This is simply how it is for us."

"It doesn't have to be that way for Aela," Deborah disagreed. "If you two agree, I'd like to take her in."

Picard, Havas and Aela were taken by surprise. "Doctor, are you sure?" Picard asked.

"I am. Don't look so surprised," she said, looking down at Aela. "I did say I'd always wanted a little sister." Aela looked dumbfounded at first, but a hopeful smile spread across her face.

"While I do not understand your willingness," Havas allowed, "I have no objection. Perhaps you could give her a better life."

"What about Hessa?" Aela asked hesitantly. "Will we help her get home?"

"If we can. In the meantime, plenty of room in my quarters for both of you." She glanced at the captain. "She's got no means of returning home, sir. Her ship was destroyed on the planet. I don't really know how to find her home, though. Communication with Hessa is… kind of limited."

"We'll do what we can to help her," the captain promised.

"In the meantime," Chambers offered, tiredly. "I had this plan that involved food and lots of sleep. With your permission, sir?"

"Of course, doctor. Good night."

Deborah nodded, then turned and left with Aela and Hessa.

On their way to her quarters, they encountered Counselor Troi who asked about what she'd felt, all the way from the bridge. Deborah assured her she'd get a full briefing after the three of them got some food and sleep. Troi nodded sympathetically and said she looked forward to it.

The rest of the trek was without incident. Deborah opened the door. "Welcome home."

Aela glanced up at her with a tentative smile. "Thank you." Deborah nodded.

"Let's get cleaned up, have some food and then sleep." Aela nodded and she settled her guests on the couch while she got them some food. Deborah wasn't sure what to get for Hessa or how to ask, but it wasn't an issue for the moment, as the serpent had fallen asleep on the way to her quarters. Aela was asleep as soon as she sat down. "Ah, sleep," Deborah murmured as she headed for a sonic shower to get the planet's dust off of her. "I remember sleep…sort of."

A quick shower later and she emerged dressed for bed. She stared at the replicator for a moment, weighing her options and then, ignoring her bed, settled on the couch with the other two and drifted off without eating.


	4. To The RescueSort Of

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 4 To the Rescue…Sort Of

"School?" Aela asked.

Deborah nodded as she led the way toward the classroom on deck 11. The corridors were fairly deserted in the middle of a duty shift, with only a few people moving from their duty stations to run errands. She had spoken to the teacher, Miss Nguyen, that morning, and the woman seemed pleased with the idea. "It's the best way to learn about your new home." She glanced at Hessa who was moving along the floor behind them, seeming to take some satisfaction in being able to move freely under her own power. "Hessa seems eager."

A pulse of curiosity mixed with anticipation answered that. There were several experts eager to study Hessa and would no doubt get their chance, something Hessa had projected mixed emotions over. Those experts had their hands full with the Vatai for the moment, though, and the captain, after an initial interview, had given his permission for Hessa and Aela to attend school with the ship's children.

"Colony school collapsed weeks ago," Aela said. "Lucky out sick that day." Deborah winced at the implications of that statement. "Good to make friends here."

"I'm sure you will. Both of you." She stopped outside the door to the classroom and signaled. "Ms. Nguyen?"

"Come on in," the other woman called. She was rising from behind her desk as they entered. "Are these my new students?" She looked at Aela and hid her surprise admirably when Hessa scaled one of the desks and coiled atop it.

"These are Aela and Hessa. I thought this would be the best way for them to learn and adapt to Federation culture." Nguyen nodded, smiling. She had been fully briefed the evening before. "Communicating with Hessa can be a bit problematic, but Aela can help with any translation. The three of us understand each other pretty well."

"I'm sure we'll work through any problems," the teacher assured her. "Thanks for bringing them by early. I'll get them settled in."

Deborah nodded. "I have to get to sickbay. Shift starts soon. Have a good day, you two."

She left them to get acquainted and headed for sickbay, arriving just in time to see Dr. Crusher packing for an away mission. The CMO glanced up as she came in. "Kids off to school?"

"Yes, though I don't think Hessa qualifies as a kid."

"Oh?"

"I asked her age, but I didn't really understand the answer. I get the impression she's been around for a while." She glanced around. "What's the situation?"

"Distress call from an unidentified alien ship. Need you to mind the shop while I'm gone."

"Sure thing." She moved to a terminal to review the schedule for the day. "Anything specific I need to know before you head out?"

"No. It was shaping up to be a quiet day before we got the distress call. We may have wounded coming back with us, though."

"I'll have everything ready," Deborah assured her. "Good luck."

Crusher nodded and led the rest of the group she was taking out the door.

OOOOOOOOOO

Little was known about the race or its tech, Davies reflected as he waited with his security detail for the rest of the group. They knew the air was breathable, which was a plus, but that was about it. They'd never met these people before. No life signs were detected, but there were parts of the ship that couldn't be scanned. Davies frowned. That much had been covered in the briefing. Reviewing the details, he found he couldn't wring any other useful information out of what they'd been given. His ruminations were brought to an end when the doors opened and the medical and engineering teams arrived along with Commander Riker.

"Everyone ready to go?" Riker asked. There were nods all around, and they took their places on the transporter pad. A moment later, the world dissolved into swirling light and reformed into a darkened chamber on the alien ship. "Spread out and be careful." He quickly gave orders to the group, pairing off team members and giving them their assignments.

Davies found himself paired with a Vulcan engineer named T'Prin and headed for what they thought might be a computer core. Davies led the way, scanning for potential hazards. They passed several bodies on the way. The rail-thin bipeds with four arms and angular faces were completely unfamiliar to both of them. They paused to check each, but could determine nothing beyond the fact that the person was dead.

The corridor was lit in a harsh green light that was apparently their equivalent of emergency lighting. It had the effect of bleaching the color from the surroundings, but the colorful patterns on the walls and the sky blue floor covering made an interesting contrast. It took a moment to realize that some of the decoration on the walls marked control panels of one sort or another. T'Prin stopped at each one and scanned it, gathering as much information as she could and trying to map the ship's computer network. After the third failed attempt to learn anything significant, she actually frowned.

"Their security is beyond the resources I currently have available or is of such an alien design that nothing we've encountered is com partible. I cannot tell which." Davies didn't comment, and they pushed on.

The computer core proved to be in one of the areas _Enterprise_ couldn't scan, which wasn't a huge surprise to Davies. It would be a high security area and one well defended against outside damage, be it physical or electronic in nature. It was that way aboard Federation ships.

T'Prin set out her tools and began to work while Davies checked the room for possible automated security measures they might trigger. It was about 30 minutes after their arrival that the engineer announced she had found something. "The system uses a neural interface. The computer core is the only place to access the system without specialized equipment. With the information I've gathered, I believe I can achieve limited access and restoration of basic ship functions."

"You aren't planning on sticking your head in there?" he asked, watching two-pronged metal device rise out of the console on an articulated arm. It seemed the padded prongs went on either side of the user's head to do…something he preferred not to think about.

"Only for a moment, once I have the system calibrated. My efforts will confuse the system long enough for me to give a few simple orders. The risk is minimal." She contacted Commander Riker and explained her intentions while offering the same assurances. Dr. Crusher was skeptical about plugging into an alien neural interface, but engineering was not her area, so had not objection after she had done her own assessment of a similar device on another deck.

"Proceed with caution," Riker allowed. "Let us know when you're done."

"Aye, sir," T'Prin closed the channel and made a few minor adjustments before leaning forward to place her head in the device and activating it. The results were immediate, dramatic, and not at all what had been anticipated. T'Prin gasped and collapsed to the deck, twitching madly for a moment and drumming her heels for a few seconds before stilling, eyes wide and staring.

Davies could not immediately assist her as the ship seemed to go mad at the same instant. An emergency bulkhead slammed shut and three different alarms began to blare. The ship shook slightly and then stilled again. Davies tried to find an emergency release for the bulkhead after scanning the room once again for automated defenses. When both efforts came to nothing, her examined T'Prin and confirmed what he already knew. She was dead. He opened a channel to Riker.

"Davies to Commander Riker."

"Report," came the terse and distracted sounding order.

"Ensign T'Prin is dead, and I am sealed in the computer core by an emergency bulkhead. From what I can tell, her efforts were viewed as a hostile intrusion by the system."

"We're seeing the same here. Emergency bulkheads came down all over the ship. We are evacuating, prepare for transport."

"Aye, sir." Davies waited…and waited. "Sir?"

"I know," Riker answered. "Enterprise was able to retrieve about half of the away team. The rest of us are trapped in shielded areas. Can you raise the bulkhead?"

"Not without a code or proper tools, sir. I can try to crack the lock, but that might trigger a more aggressive reaction."

"Hold off on that. We'll see what we can learn. Stand by." The channel closed. After a moment, Riker was back. "It seems that whatever Ensign T'Prin did triggered a problem with the ship's engines. They are building toward an overload. We estimate we have 10 minutes. We have the engineers attempting to open the bulkheads from here. Stand by and wait for instructions. Riker out."

Feeling a need to contribute something, Davies set about examining the bulkhead and its mechanism. A security code was required to raise it, but there might be a manual release for emergencies. His current situation certainly qualified. Finding nothing he recognized as a control, he focused on ways to force the door open. At the five minute mark, Riker contacted the rest of the away team.

"We've been unable to affect any of the ship's systems. The Enterprise is trying to adjust the transporters and access the ship's computer remotely, but have so far been unsuccessful. If anyone has found a possible solution, now's the time to speak up."

"This is Davies, in the computer core," he answered. "This is the best point for accessing the system. I can't make heads or tails of it, so if anyone has any ideas about what I can break, I'd love to hear them."

"If I were there," one of the engineers offered, "I could, but I'm stuck in a cabin with no access at all. What about the neural interface? Is it functional?"

"As far as I can tell," Davies answered. "I was hoping someone had a better idea, though."

"After what that thing did to Ensign T'Prin," Riker put in, "I don't think it's an option."

"Respectfully, sir, in just under four minutes, it's not going to matter," Davies pointed out. "I'm willing to try."

"Not what I had in mind," the engineer quickly put in. "If you can connect the tricorder to the interface and transmit the-"

"Incompatible systems," Davies broke in. "I don't know how to adapt the tricorder for that, and we don't have time for you to talk me through it." He glanced at the time display on his tricorder. "Wish me luck."

"Lieutenant," Riker began ordering him to stand down. Then he reconsidered. "Good luck."

Davies placed his head in the device and activated it as he'd seen T'Prin do. A moment of pain and dizziness later he was blinking rapidly and shading his eye from the bright sunlight streaming down around him. "Huh?" He glanced up at a dark blue sky with a smallish yellow sun, and then glanced around in confusion only to have that confusion grow. The peaceful looking meadow he found himself in extended for roughly five meters in all directions before becoming something else abruptly.

To his right was a turbulent sea whose waters never touched the yellowish knee-high grass he was standing in. To his left was a desert of red sand under a sky of a completely different color, lit by a red giant. In yet another direction, with a demarcation just as sharp as the other two, was what looked like a ruined city. Not merely the edge of a city but the heart of one. There were structures of varying sizes, pathways that had to be streets, with glowing lines that blinked and sparked intermittently as the dark, cloud-filled sky above churned and occasionally spit lightning down into the city.

"Virtual reality interface?" he wondered aloud, examining the impossible landscape. It was the only explanation he could think of. Unclear on where to go, he considered his options till he heard a sound behind him and glanced back to find the sea had grown noticeably closer. The meadow was vanishing as if slowly being eroded. "City it is," he decided and headed for the ruins.

Davies moved carefully through the streets, examining the structures and quickly concluding that he had been wrong. It wasn't a city, at least not like any he had seen or ever imagined. The 'buildings' lacked doors and windows. Some were intact while others showed blackened patches as if from weapons fire. Others were melted. The last displayed no signs of any kind of internal structure, halls, rooms or otherwise. Some structures made no sense at all to him and would have been tempted to label them modern art if he still thought the place was a city. Some of those looked intact. Others were clearly damaged with bits of debris littering the ground and pathways around them. Others he couldn't be sure of. It reminded him of something, he just wasn't sure what. The glowing lines and patterns on the ground were a clue, he was certain. They ran between the buildings, or whatever they were, in a distinct pattern that made no sense if they were streets designed for vehicle or pedestrian traffic.

"Just because it doesn't make sense to me doesn't mean it doesn't make sense," he reminded himself. He knew he wasn't the fastest ship in the fleet; having gotten through the engineering and science courses with passable grades at best. He was a good pilot and could perform rough repairs when necessary, provided they weren't too complex, but situations like this left him feeling completely out of his depth. His line was more, as an old joke he'd heard ran, hurting people and breaking their stuff.

That didn't help matters. Something gave him pause, though. The memory of his trouble with the engineering courses sparked a memory and he looked around with new eyes. Closing those eyes, he visualized his route through the landscape he could no longer think of as a city. The pathways, the structures of wildly varying design and inscrutable function suddenly made sense.

"I'm standing on a giant circuit board." He frowned at the damage around him and the chaos in the sky above and the points where other environments were beginning to encroach, wondering if he were seeing the actual condition of the alien ship's main computer. "Ah, crap."

Not having the vaguest idea of where to begin, he moved around the board looking at the damage. He couldn't do anything about the burned structures, whatever they were, and he didn't know where to begin with anything else. Some of the glowing pathways had clearly been disrupted, but he wasn't sure where to begin repairing them. Time, however, was a factor. He backtracked to one of the damaged sections and examined it more closely. The ground was buckled slightly, breaking one of the glowing lines. He shoved the section down and was surprised at how easily it moved. Then he carefully touched the glowing path. It was warm to the touch, but it didn't hurt him. He looked more closely at the point where the path had been severed.

Carefully, he touched the other end and tried to manipulate the two together. It felt like metal, but it was as pliable as clay. Carefully, he smoothed out the path, merged the damaged sections. Once in contact, the two reconnected automatically and the formerly unlighted section began to glow. He moved to the next damaged area. It was not always so simple. Some of the sections were torn up beyond the system's ability to reestablish connection. He solved this problem by taking pieces of undamaged pathway from sections close to burned out structures. The warm, pliable metal was strange in his hands but it came up readily enough and he was able to use the pieces to splice damaged areas. When the damaged sections were bridged, the system took over and effected repairs.

Lighted pathways were soon spreading across the landscape and the world around him became calmer and more stable. The turbulent skies cleared and the sound of the ocean faded away allowing him to detect a new sound. He could hear sobbing.

Moving carefully through the burned out and sporadically functioning bits of virtual hardware, he eventually found the source. In the shadow of what he thought might be a processor, he discovered a young alien girl. She was resting her head on her knees, all four arms wrapped around her legs.

Even though she was sticking to the shadow as if hiding, many of the now lighted pathways led directly to her. They were flickering for no reason he could see. No physical damage was evident. He approached cautiously after assessing the area for risks. There was likely some reason the child was crying. She didn't seem to be hurt, but couldn't make a detailed examination as the flickering lights did nothing to illuminate the girl's hiding place.

Seeing no obvious threats, he approached and sat down a safe distance away, so as not to appear threatening. "Hello."

The child glanced up, eyes wide with shock and fear. She tensed up, but didn't try to run. "W-who are you?"

"My name is Kevin. You don't have to be afraid. I won't hurt you." She seemed to have her doubts about that. "What's your name?"

She blinked at him in confusion for a moment before sadly shaking her head. "I don't know." Watching him warily, she continued after a brief hesitation. "I don't know anything. Where am I? What is this place?" As she grew more agitated, the lighted paths around her flickered wildly.

"Maybe I can help you," he offered. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Last thing…first thing….being alone here. I…haven't seen anyone else."

"You aren't alone anymore," Davies assured her. "Let me help?" He didn't move closer or make any gestures toward her that might be misinterpreted. She seemed skittish enough without a strange alien frightening her. He wasn't sure what it meant that the environment seemed to react to her, but it was fairly obvious that she was important.

"How can you help?" she asked tentatively.

"Well," he considered for a moment. "Let's walk around a bit. I'm betting this place won't be nearly as scary with a little company. I know I'll feel better not being alone anymore." He took a chance and held out a hand. He didn't want to rush her, but he had no idea how much time they had left before the ship exploded. Much to his relief, she took his hand after only a second of hesitation. They rose to their feet and began walking. Davies managed to stop himself from staring when he got a good look at her. The girl literally wasn't all there.

Who or whatever she was, she was translucent, almost transparent in places. Otherwise, she resembled the corpses he had seen in the corridors. Not sure what it meant, he didn't comment. Her hand felt real enough in his and she didn't seem distressed by the fact, so he said nothing. She also didn't seem to notice that the pathways, whole and damaged, lighted up as she approached.

Davies paused to repair each breach they came across and it seemed to help stabilize the environment and to calm the alien girl. He talked to her as they explored, and quickly discovered that she literally knew nothing about her life before. No hint of an existence beyond the virtual world he found himself in. It all hinted at something, he just wasn't sure what at the moment.

"You need a name," he said at one point, "at least until you remember your own."

"Name?" She seemed honestly confused by the word, perhaps with the concept itself.

"Something to call you," he supplied, "Just till you get your memory back."

"Like what?" She seemed intrigued by the notion.

"Do you remember any names your people use? A friend or family, perhaps?" She hesitated, then shook her head, looking frustrated. The path she stood on flickered sporadically. "It's alright," he offered calmly. "It'll come back to you. In the meantime, do you mind if I call you Rose? My little sister was named Rose, and I think it suits you."

"Rose?" She said it as if tasting the name on her tongue; then she smiled. "Okay!" Having a name, even one offered by this alien made her feel better for some reason, though she couldn't say why. She watched as the alien paused to repair the path they were following. That also made her feel better for some reason. She smiled encouragingly at the alien, hoping he would continue to help her.

Davies rose from his latest repair efforts and noted the lighted path ahead of them come alive and branch off in several directions. He glanced at Rose and realized with a start that she was standing straighter, looking more confident and that she wasn't as transparent as she had been.

Davies didn't want to jump to conclusions about what this meant, but he decided that finishing repairs and keeping the child calm and happy could only help matters. Keeping up a comforting and distracting patter as best he could, he repaired more sections of pathway, occasionally managing to draw a smile or laugh from her. He told her about his home and family, talked with her encouraging him, about the _Enterprise_ and how he had come to be in the strange place they both found themselves. It saddened and frightened her that she couldn't contribute her own stories. There was still no trace of her memories.

Kevin Davies seemed to realize how it upset her, even though she didn't speak of it and held her hand when he wasn't working and occasionally stopped to put his arms around her and pull her against him. It was a strange gesture that should have been off-putting, but was, instead, oddly comforting. Rose found that she liked the physical contact and that she liked having a name.

There was no way of knowing how long he'd been at this, but eventually, the worst of the damage to the paths seemed to be repaired and Rose was looking considerably more real. "Is any of this familiar to you?" he ventured.

"Uh-uh," she said staring at the place. "It…feels like it should be, though." She pulled free of his hand and followed a particular path, though not sure why. It led to one of the structures that Davies had thought of as modern art and this one was clearly damaged. "This isn't right," she said with certainty.

"Well it is in pieces," Davies noted, looking around the structure littered with bits of debris. A large number of the paths converged on the structure and each flickered more fitfully the closer they got to it before going dark within a few feet of the structure. "I'm not sure how to fix it."

"You fixed the paths," she pointed out, turning wide, hopeful eyes to him. He could see how important it was to her and that alone was enough to motivate him. Her connection to the place was obvious even to him. The way her moods affected the world around them and the way she seemed to grow more real as he repaired the damage pointed at a certain conclusion, but he wasn't yet sure what to do with that conclusion.

"I'll try," he promised, moving to examine the structure. It was slightly taller than him and appeared to be composed of series of copper tubes and plastic, multicolored sticks. Some of the tubes and sticks jutted out at odd angles and were broken off. In other cases, the abrupt end of a section seemed to be by design. The whole thing was so bizarre looking, though, he couldn't be sure.

He picked up a red stick and touched it to the end of another red stick that was part of the structure. Given its place on the ground, he hoped that the two had once been connected. There was a click and the red sticks fused together. "Okay," said, looking for other things to fix.

A breach in one of the copper pipes repaired itself as soon as a bit of debris was removed from the hole it had made. A coil of yellow plastic twisted in his hands like a snake when one end was touched to another broken yellow stick. He jumped back in surprise as the other end struck at and adhered to a blue coil. When he tried to fit a broken piece of pipe to one of several broken structures, it gave him a strong shock like static electricity and he stumbled back.

"That doesn't go there," Rose offered helpfully.

"Yeah, I got that impression." Davies nodded and tried another broken pipe, more carefully this time. The third attempt proved to be the charm, and he reached for another copper pipe on the ground even as the last section adjusted itself and fused the pipe into place. Some of the connections were obvious while others made no sense to him.

The structure twisted and branched off in ways that were just bizarre. Connections to the pathways established themselves only after twisting around in odd patterns that seemed to serve no logical purpose. Soon enough, though, there was no more debris on the ground and there was no more obvious damage.

Davies glanced at Rose who nodded happily as she walked around the structure, examining it. "Is it repaired?" he asked.

"Almost," she assured him. "It's not turned right. Here." She pointed at the ground where one of the structure's 'legs' rested an inch or so off an unlighted path. Carefully, he adjusted the placement of the structure, not wanting to break any other connections. It was not easy to shift, but he managed the adjustment eventually and the dark section of the path lit up. The structure began to pulse with a steady rhythm, the plastic sticks glowing and dimming in a steady pattern.

Glancing at Rose to see what effect this had had on her, he was pleased to see she looked entirely solid. She was also frowning and looking around her in growing consternation. "This isn't good," she said quietly. "This is very, very bad."

"What can we do?" Davies asked.

"Nothing," she said sadly. "There is nothing more that can be done without an engineer to physically replace damaged components, and I can't find anyone alive on the ship."

"What about you?" Davies asked, even though she'd already confirmed his suspicions. She smiled happily at the question, but shook her head.

"I'm not alive, at least not the way you are. I am part of the ship's computer."

"You're an artificial intelligence," Davies nodded. "Some kind of system interface?"

"Basically," she nodded, and then she threw all four arms around him and gave him a hug. "Thank you. Thank you for trying to fix me and for being with me when I was scared and alone."

"Happy to help," he assured her, returning the hug. "So you remember?"

She paused a second before answering. "No. The sections containing my memory are too badly damaged, but I know what I am, and I can feel the ship around me again. You don't have much time to get away. I'll open the bulkheads and shut down the security measures that prevent scanning and the use of your transporters. I do have one request, though."

"What is it?"

"Can I keep the name, Rose?" She sounded like a young girl again, not that she had ever stopped, but when she'd gained access to the ship's systems she'd changed, displaying a strength and confidence she'd previously lacked. Now she sounded much as she had when they first met. "I'll never know my own name, and I like being Rose…if your sister wouldn't mind."

"I think she would have liked that." At Rose questioning look, Davies sighed. "Rose died a few years ago. There was an accident back home. I decided if I ever had a daughter, I'd name her Rose. I see no reason you shouldn't keep the name."

Rose' smile nearly split her face as she hugged him again. Then she backed up, growing almost solemn. "You don't have much time. I can let you out of the interface now. You'll have to go immediately, though. The engine is undergoing a cascade failure. It will explode within a few minutes. I'll miss you."

"Is there any way I can help you?" he asked. "I don't want to just leave you here to die with the ship."

Rose considered the question a few seconds, then she smiled. "Well…"

OOOOOOOOOO

Davies yanked his head back from the interface, suddenly free. He heard Riker's voice over his combadge and tapped it. "Davies here," he said even as the emergency bulkhead began to rise. "You should be able to transport out now."

"Good work lieutenant, stand by for transport."

"Not yet, sir. There's something I need to get here."

"There's only two minutes left, lieutenant."

"I know, sir. This won't take that long." He was already prying open the panels on the main computer. He pulled out the connections in the order he'd been told to, and after a moment's work pulled free an oblong component that resembled an egg with several odd looking data ports and wires emerging from it. He had to yank the last connection free without being able to reach it and fell over backwards.

"Lieutenant," Riker began.

"Got it, sir. Ready for transport." The world around him dissolved.

OOOOOOOOOO

Riker was frowning again as he waited for Davies to materialize on the platform. Less than 30 seconds remained before the alien ships' core breached. As soon as transport was confirmed, he signaled the bridge. "Got him, bridge, time to go." He focused on the platform again as Davies materialized. He was flat on his back, clutching a bizarre looking bit of alien technology while grinning broadly, and the first officer again found himself at a loss for words with this man.

"Are you alright, Davies?"

"Yes, sir," the man replied, getting to his feet. "Sorry for the delay. I couldn't leave without this."

"What is it?" Riker asked, eyeing the device curiously. "The ships logs? Their equivalent of a black box?"

"It used to be, sir," Davies replied. "Now it's a lifeboat."

OOOOOOOOOO

"You delayed your departure to rescue the ship's AI?" Picard asked for clarification. He sat at the head of the table in the conference room with the senior staff arrayed around him. Davies sat on the side nearest the door at the far end of the group. Nothing intimidating about this arrangement, he thought morosely. He kept his demeanor professional; certain he had made the right decision.

"Yes sir. She saved us by opening the bulkheads and deactivating the security measures that prevented scanning and use of the transporters. It only seemed fair to bring her along."

Picard chose not to comment and turned to Data and LaForge. "What can you tell me about the technology?"

"In principal," Data began, "it is not that different from Federation technology, but there are differences in form, function, and application. The AI in the data module is dormant for the moment, and we have been able to confirm that the AI is all that is there. Whatever data it might have contained about the ship, its crew, or its mission were erased to make room for the AI program."

"So anything we might learn about these people will have to be learned from the AI?" Counselor Troi asked. Data nodded.

"Any risks in awakening the program?" Riker asked.

"We've taken precautions to isolate the program from the main computer," Geordi answered. "Should be perfectly safe. We've rigged a holographic projector here. Image only, not a full holodeck projection."

Davies held his tongue. He doubted that Rose would be able to tell them anything, as her memory had been so badly damaged, but he couldn't be sure and didn't want her simply dismissed. While he doubted Picard would do that, he still held his tongue.

At Picard's order, Geordi activated the projector and accessed the lifeboat. Rose appeared, standing in the middle of the table. She glanced about at the aliens surrounding her, looking worried before her settled on Davies and her face brightened.

"You did it! You saved me."

"I said I would," Davies reminded her with a smile. He knew her nature. She was an AI created by an unknown alien race, and she had been designed to manage a large, complex, and powerful vessel. Nevertheless, she acted so much like a child that it was easy to overlook all that. At the moment, she was happy, and he found he liked seeing her happy.

She dropped to her knees and threw her immaterial arms around his neck, surprising everyone. "Thank you, daddy!"

Jaws dropped around the table, but the officers quickly recovered and merely stared at Davies curiously. He shrugged, looking as baffled as he felt. "Rose?" he asked hesitantly. "What's this about?"

She sat back, studying him. "You rescued me. You named me. And you're the first person I ever met. Doesn't that make you my daddy?"

"Um…I suppose that…," he began, completely at a loss. She smiled brightly again and gave him another hug, not that either could feel it, but that didn't seem to concern Rose. "We need to work out the details of your new…situation, Rose."

Rose looked up, and gave the room a curious look. "Everything beyond this room except for the lifeboat is sealed against me. I guess that makes sense," she allowed. "No one here knows anything about me."

"I'm glad you understand, Rose," Picard spoke up. "Once we get to know you better, we can arrange greater freedom aboard the _Enterprise_. For now, however, you will need to stay in certain designated areas."

Rose glanced at Davies who hastily made the introductions. She nodded. "Okay, Captain. I'll do as you and daddy ask. I guess you want me to shut down for now so you can talk?"

"That would be helpful, Rose," the captain nodded. "We will arrange a space for you in the meantime."

"Thank you, Captain." Rose winked out.

"Well…" Davies began. "That was…unexpected."


	5. Making Repairs

CH. 5 Making Repairs

Jean Luc Picard frowned at the diagnostic, as viewed under the harsh red emergency lighting. "That needs to be our priority, then."

"Yes, sir," Geordi nodded. "When repairs are complete in that section, we'll have main power back to the bridge and these decks, including the internal sensors in those areas. Then, we can get a better idea of what our next priority should be. I've got one of my people in the area now, replacing a sub-processor. He should be done any minute, and I can divert him to that job."

"Excellent," the captain nodded. "How are repairs proceeding otherwise?"

"Well as can be expected, sir. We've got damage all over the ship, but it's fairly light. Fortunately, that quantum filament we ran into didn't do nearly as much damage as the last one we encountered." Picard nodded. "We have had one small hitch."

"Oh?"

"It's not a problem exactly. Some computer systems were damaged, including those providing containment."

"Containment?" Picard asked more focused on the conversation. There had been no hint of damage to the warp core.

"Rose Davies is out and about. She's offered to help with repairs."

"Ah." Picard nodded, remembering. He thought a moment. That situation was just strange. The security officer, Davies, seemed strangely taken with the idea of having the alien program as a daughter, and had become her advocate. Rose seemed like a decent person and their studies of her hadn't revealed anything potentially harmful. It was still strange, though, Picard thought as he recalled the way the disembodied voice had giggled when they began running their tests, saying that the scanners tickled. The current situation, he allowed, might provide an opportunity. "Very well. See if she can be of any help, but monitor her closely."

"She could be," Geordi nodded. "Yes, sir, I'll have her work with one of the teams fixing the computer." Picard nodded and dismissed him to get to work.

Geordi made the arrangements on his way back to main engineering. He assigned Rose to work with a group running diagnostics of the backup systems on deck 12, and confirmed that Ensign Taliaferro had completed his current assignment and was ready to start on the work in Jeffries tube 14 that would get the power back to the bridge.

He noted the strange distortion in the comms and made a note to run a diagnostic when other key systems were back on line. Then he threw himself back into his own repair work, trusting his people to do their jobs.

OOOOOOOOOO

Ensign Martin Taliaferro whistled to himself as he packed up his tools and headed to the next job. Commander LaForge had impressed the urgency of these repairs on him, but he moved in his usual unhurried way to the necessary access point. Several people he passed glanced at him curiously. He was new to the _Enterprise_ and most weren't used to him or how he did things. The whistling helped him concentrate, and when he wasn't whistling, he was humming or occasionally singing to himself. It was an eccentricity most tolerated because he was good at his job. The repairs he made were done right the first time and the things he took a notion to build usually worked perfectly with a minimum of fuss and experimentation.

The looks didn't worry him. People would get used to his oddities as one of his former superiors had called them. On reaching the hatch he wanted, he tapped in the code and slipped inside. It was only a short climb to the tube he needed and from there a short crawl. He continued to whistle an old folk tune he'd grown up with in Alabama, barely pausing as he set out his tools and got the panel open.

He quickly assessed the damage and planned the best approach while idly considering other things. He'd noted distortion in the Commander's comm signal and based on the nature and pattern had a pretty good idea what the problem was. That would be an easy fix later, but he doubted it was a priority for the higher-ups. He also considered an idea for a new tool he wanted to design that would make minute adjustments to the plasma flow regulators much easier and more precise. Also something for later, he reminded himself, as he removed several damaged components and began replacement and repair. It was more tedious than difficult and he noted several potential upgrades that could be made based on the latest technical journals. He continued to whistle for most of the job. Toward the end, he went from whistling to singing.

OOOOOOOOOO

"We've reached the end of what we can do till we get main power back," Riker reported.

Picard nodded and tapped his combadge. "Picard to Ensign Taliaferro-" He was cut off by what sounded like feedback, and winced at the high pitched sound. Before he could continue, a voice came over the open channel as well as over the bridge's general system.

OOOOOOOOOO

Aela clapped her hands to her ears and Hessa radiated displeasure at the sound in the classroom. Class wasn't in session, but it was one of the best protected spots on the ship, so it was used as a shelter for the younger children in times of crisis. At the moment, though, it felt like they were directly under attack. It only lasted a few seconds, fortunately, before things got strange.

OOOOOOOOOO

Deborah glanced up from her work on a crewman with two broken ribs, courtesy of a bad fall in engineering, and looked around for the source of the noise before realizing it was the comm system. The screeching whine quickly resolved itself into a voice. The voice was singing.

OOOOOOOOOO

Rose Davies paused when she noted the discrepancy. Several protocols within the ship's internal communication system were hopelessly scrambled, causing an irritating sound and randomly redirecting comm signals. Although she could 'see' the problem from where she was, she didn't have the access to do anything about it. Bypassing the damaged protocols, she opened a channel to engineering to report to Ensign Sanders. She paused, though, when she heard the sound coming over the shipwide channel. Then she started to giggle.

OOOOOOOOOO

Geordi cocked his head and listened, not sure what to make of what he was hearing. The distortion and ship-wide transmission, he was sure, were due to a damaged relay and a few corrupted protocols in the comm system. Easy fix. What was being broadcast ship-wide, however, was another matter.

OOOOOOOOOO

Picard and Riker traded looks before a choking sound drew their attention to their left. Troi was covering her mouth, trying not to laugh at what they were hearing.

"Dem parts, dem parts, dem dry parts,

The thingamajig's connected to the whatchamacallit,

The whatchamacallit's connected to the gizmo,

The gizmo's connected to the doohickey,

Now hear de words of de lord,

Let there be light."

The emergency lights went out and normal illumination replaced it. Every station on the bridge began to function normally again. "Ensign Taliaferro to bridge. You should have main power back."

"Yes, Ensign. Everything seems to be working normally here," Picard answered calmly, as if nothing unusual were happening. "When you've finished there, I'd like you to assist with a diagnostic of the internal comms. We're having some glitches."

"Aye, sir," came the cheerful sounding reply. Apparently, the sound of the transmission hadn't reached the bowels of the ship he was currently crawling through, leaving him unaware of what had just happened. "Taliaferro, out." The ship-wide channel closed, much to everyone's relief.

Troi gave up her efforts at quiet and laughed openly, as did several others.

Riker looked up from the bridge system diagnostic he was running and nodded in satisfaction. "He should definitely keep his day job."


	6. Getting to Know You

LOWER DECKS

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

CH. 6 Getting to know you

"'Morning, sleepy-head." Hessa suddenly awoke at the sound of Deborah's voice. Looking about, she found her two sisters up and active. Aela was setting the table for breakfast and Deborah was pulling on her uniform jacket as she headed for the replicator. Raising her head, she caught Deborah's eye.

The human woman smiled at Hessa, and the gentle teasing barely needed to be felt to be known. Hessa was always the last awake. She'd been offered a bed of her own, but she found the beds the Humans and other races enjoyed to be uncomfortably soft. She preferred hard surfaces and usually slept on the floor or table. The previous evening, she'd fallen asleep draped across the back of the couch while they watched a historical entertainment Deborah had dug out of the computer archives.

"Breakfast in five minutes," Deborah called. "Then we all need to get going." Hessa bobbed her head in the way she had learned meant agreement and abandoned the couch where she had slept, draped over the back rest, and headed for the bathroom.

The facilities were awkward, but she had learned to manage, and spent a few moments in the sonic shower. That was something she had never experienced before coming to the _Enterprise_ and rather enjoyed. She would have liked to linger longer and enjoy the sensation, but she knew the schedule was tight and resolved to wake earlier tomorrow. She doubted it would help. She made the same resolution each day. Leaving the shower, she returned to the main room and joined the others for breakfast.

The menu was sadly limited for her. Deborah had scanned her system and determined what she needed in terms of nutrition, but replicating anything that tasted good was another matter. Some of the things Humans ate were dangerous or outright poisonous, so she had to be careful. The People were omnivorous, generally feeding on the abundant vegetation of their homeworld along with a few crunchy insects for variety. Certain Ferengi cuisines were tasty, but Aela always made a face whenever Hessa ate the grubs that were so popular among that species, so she generally stuck to salads made of leafy vegetables and certain tubers that she found palatable if a bit bland.

Breakfast that morning consisted of a salad made of Vulcan vegetables with a bit of something called tobasco sauce for flavoring. Plumeek soup flavored with chocolate sauce had been good; unfortunately it had disagreed with her digestive tract. She'd probably do it again, she realized, the taste having been completely worth it. The carefully repressed sense of revulsion she'd gotten from the Vulcan linguist she'd been working with that day had been pretty funny, too.

The three ate quickly and finished the preparations for the day. Deborah had taken to walking them to the classroom on her way to sickbay and did so again, talking about what they would cover in class. Deborah felt their education was coming along fine and like everyone else, counseled patience with things they didn't understand. Deborah left them at the door of the classroom and Hessa wound her way up an arm Aela held out to her, as the other students rushed down the corridor to join them.

Aela walked through the door and found her desk in the rapidly filling room, greeting some of the other children as they took seats around her. Hessa took the one next to her and settled in to wait. Some of the children nodded to her and said hello, but weren't sure what to make of her projections. Hessa tried to keep them simple, especially when communicating with the young, but some seemed disturbed by them.

Ms. Nguyen settled the class and began her lecture for the day. The topic was the events surrounding the founding of the Federation, focusing on the part played by the _Enterprise_ under Captain Archer. The overview she provided focused on the missions that were critical to the founding of the Federation and the key role the captain's decisions played.

Aela found what she understood of it interesting, but she could tell most of it was beyond Hessa's understanding. The feathered alien didn't understand the motivations of the peoples involved and didn't know how to ask Ms. Nguyen about them. Keeping one's home safe was a desire she could understand, but why would that necessitate threatening someone else's? The aggression some species displayed, the need to possess and to dominate simply baffled her. Cooperation accomplished so much more.

The adoptive sisters traded looks and more during class as the lesson wound down. Their introduction to Federation culture was certainly taking some odd turns. It might have made sense to put them in a classroom with children studying Federation history, but for the moment it was providing more questions than answers. Hessa tried to limit her projections to Aela, but wasn't used to having to do so. The teacher was patient and very good at her job, but she was clearly out of her depth when one of her new students began to literally radiate confusion.

That had unsettled the entire class. Hessa had stopped immediately and projected regret. Dealing with the aliens was requiring her to be creative in her efforts to communicate. The nuances of proper language were completely beyond them. They got, at best, half of what she was trying to communicate. She'd never seen the like before.

Hessa and Aela both decided to forego any questions for the moment, as class was over for the day. At her new sister's suggestion, Hessa rode on Aela's shoulders to avoid the stampede leaving the room. None of them, Hessa knew, would intentionally step on her, but they were children, and the young of any race could be clumsy and thoughtless.

"Aela? Hessa? Could you wait a moment?" Ms. Nguyen called. Aela stopped and waited, and Hessa turned her head to look at the teacher, wondering as the other students cleared out. Nguyen came around the desk and leaned on it, taking on a serious but still kindly expression. "I know you two were feeling a little lost today, but it'll get better. The first few days at any new school are going to be confusing."

Hessa did her best to project ironic agreement and just got a confused jumble of impressions from the adult Human. Most of these people, Hessa had noted, felt one thing while communicating another. It could be very confusing and frustrating. At the moment, though, Hessa knew that no deception was intended. Nguyen was feeling confused and a bit frustrated with her inability to effectively communicate.

"I think Hessa means everything here is confusing, not just the class," Aela offered. Hessa projected simple agreement as Ms. Nguyen nodded. "Hessa doesn't communicate like the rest of us. Feelings, impressions. It's…hard to get sometimes. Mostly… I think I'm missing most of it."

Hessa could feel Aela's disappointment in herself and easily divined the cause. The spoken language hadn't been too difficult to decipher, though that didn't mean she understood a lot of what was said. Too many strange concepts. By considering the words and the emotions, she generally understood what was going on, though. She projected reassurance and tightened her coils briefly around Aela in the gesture her sisters referred to as a 'hug.' She found it a bit odd they found it comforting, when one of her own people would have considered it an attack, but if it worked she would use it.

Aela responded as usual and stroked her feathers in the way that Hessa had rather come to enjoy. "We try," the girl said with a smile. "We will keep trying."

Hessa projected agreement and confidence, and Ms. Nguyen smiled and nodded, understanding the intention of the message this time. It was getting easier, at least, to communicate basic ideas. If nothing else, her unwanted journey so far from home had been an education. This place and these people were so strange and different that it was by turns fascinating, frustrating and terrifying. The Federation people seemed intent on spreading out, seeding themselves as widely as possible across the stars. They, or at least those she'd met so far, were very social people, by their standards anyway, so it seemed paradoxical that they sought to travel so far from their home places.

Her people had confined themselves primarily to their homeworld, only venturing out occasionally to explore. The home soil provided everything they needed and wanted. There was no need to look elsewhere for anything. It was primarily curiosity that led them to develop star flight technology and to explore first their own system and then others.

They had met other species, of course, but contact was limited. The first race they encountered was very insular and wanted nothing to do with outsiders. That was fine. The People had respected their wishes. They had managed to communicate well enough to set a border, once it was understood what a border was, and that was deemed sufficient by the other. The People had encountered two worlds with primitive cultures, which had borne no resemblance to the people or to the other they had encountered. It was decided that it was best to leave them alone, as neither had anything to offer and they had no desire to frighten the other races they met.

The only other space-faring species they'd met before her encounter with the _Enterprise_ was a wandering race of energy creatures. That had been interesting, and communication had been awkward but not difficult, but neither had anything to offer the other and the cloud of intelligent energy creatures had soon moved on.

None of the other systems nearby had had anything interesting in them, and they had no interest in traveling further afield. Being separated from the Whole was unpleasant. The crews of their ships were large by choice rather than necessity. A close-knit community and sense of belonging was necessary to their mental and emotional wellbeing, and it was difficult to replicate in smaller groups. Being apart from that warmth was uncomfortable. So the People's forays from their homeworld had never been lengthy. Not until the sun started to change.

There were scientists at home that understood the details, Hessa knew, but most of it was beyond her. All she knew was that their sun was dying and the People would perish if they didn't find a new home. Choosing who went forth to find their new world was a challenge at first. Sending a large ship and group as they had in the past was a tremendous undertaking. Smaller ships with small crews or even single pilot vessels could be created more quickly and easily.

What was not easy was finding small crews, let alone solo pilots, to do the searching. They needed people of a specific emotional and mental predisposition. They needed people who could cope with the reduced social contact and even extended periods of solitude. Essentially, they needed people who were normally considered damaged.

She knew that none of the aliens she'd met would consider her to be anti-social, but the People had different standards. The fact that she sometimes liked to be away from others, sometimes preferred silence to the comforting warmth and constant white noise of others' thoughts and feelings, made her a source of concern for some. It also made her the ideal candidate for the exploration program.

She was recruited and trained, not a pleasant process for any of the candidates as it involved extended periods of forced isolation in order to test their ability to function alone. Some of the candidates were actually 'cured' of their anti-social tendencies by the training and returned to the Whole as happy and well-adjusted individuals. Those who succeeded, some of the trainers suspected, would become unsuitable to life among the people and would never return to the Whole.

Hessa's success in training had pleased and saddened her and her trainers. Instilling what they considered to be mental instability in members of their own race had run contrary to everything the trainers believed, and for Hessa it had been bittersweet. She loved surmounting challenges set before her, but she was not so different from the rest of her people that the idea of extended isolation was welcome. She had almost balked when it came time to set forth in her single-person ship to find a suitable world, but she knew the Whole was counting on her and the others. Finding them a new home and returning to the Whole to save it was a challenge, and she would not fail.

She'd searched seven nearby systems, finding nothing suitable. Three of the planets detected in those systems proved to be desolate rocks with no air or poisonous atmospheres. One was inhabited by a bronze-age civilization, and the last two were covered by water.

The last world she searched had given her hope at first. It had a breathable atmosphere and compatible life-forms. There was no sign of artificial signals or primitive civilization, so she had landed to investigate. She had been there barely an hour when a quake had taken her ship from her.

Now, she had a new Whole, small though it was. The two aliens were strange beyond her capacity to express and occasionally frustrating, but with them she found an echo of what she'd left behind. That was enough for now.

Their technology was also strange, but she was learning. Soon, she hoped to be able to convey to the Federations the threat that the People faced. She had no doubt that such a people would not hesitate to help. All those she had encountered had been kind and patient with her communication problems. Several had seemed absolutely fascinated by it.

A Vulcan linguist had tried to have a proper conversation with her, but he found the images, emotions and impressions that she projected as part of her normal form of communication unsettling. He had been forced to break their link after only a moment. She had found herself unsettled by the brief contact as well. His mind was highly organized, but the practice of suppressing emotions that were such an integral part of her normal communication simply bizarre. Emotion leant context to what was being communicated. Without them, the message could be confusing at best, meaningless at worst. She could not understand why any species would willingly handicap themselves by suppressing such a basic part of their psychological makeup. The experience had not discouraged her, but more conventional approaches were relied upon after that.

Progress was slow, but it was being made. Conveying technical data was well beyond her at present, but she had been able to convey that her people were at risk. This added a commendable level of effort to their attempts to communicate effectively. Aela often came along to assist in translation as she and Deborah were the best able, so far, to understand her.

One of the specialists, on the assumption that certain things were universal, had attempted to use mathematics to communicate, getting her to trace the route she had followed and thus find her world. Unfortunately, math had never been one of Hessa's strong points. She knew enough to navigate with her ship's assistance and plot a course, though, and did her best to provide details from memory. Unfortunately, she was only able to provide a basic course to the last world she visited, but it was slow going due to the communication barrier.

An attempt had been made to locate the remains of her ship before they left orbit, but nothing could be found, and the small craft of woven crystal was so delicate compared to the Federation vessels that it was unlikely anything survived. That she had managed to convey to them with Deborah's help.

"What's on your mind, Hessa?" Aela asked, breaking into her thoughts as they made their way down the corridor, heading back to their quarters.

Hessa thought a second and projected an image of many of her kind and an impression of belonging.

"Your home," she nodded. "Don't worry, we'll get you there. These Federation people are nice and they said they would help." Hessa projected acknowledgement. She knew Picard was sincere in his desire to help, as was his crew. She just hoped they would be able to do it in time to matter. Their sun was changing and it was unclear what the end result of the change would be. Aela picked up on her worry and stroked her feathers soothingly. "We'll find a way."

Aela was not capable of projecting her certainty the way one of the People would, but Hessa could almost feel it, nonetheless. She projected gratitude and her own certainty. Then she remembered an appointment and projected an image of the ship's counselor.

"Oh, right. That's today." She checked the time. "Better get moving." Changing course and picking up the pace, she headed for the turbolift that would take them to the deck where Troi's office was located. The Betazoid psychologist had taken an interest in Hessa and the relationship that had developed between the three aliens. Hessa wasn't sure why. All around her were aliens getting along well. The different species even intermarried.

They arrived with a few minutes to spare and Aela signaled for entry. Troi invited them in. She smiled as the two took a place opposite her and Hessa unwound and settled next to Aela.

"Do you often carry Hessa around like that?"

Aela shrugged. "Less chance of being stepped on by kids in a hurry to get out of class. Plus, I think she was feeling a little lazy." Hessa gave the impression of shrugging and coiled herself comfortably in the chair.

"How are you adapting to life on the _Enterprise_?"

"We do okay," Aela shrugged, "but it's really confusing at times." Hessa chose not to comment as she couldn't add anything to Aela's statement.

"Any new culture can be confusing," Troi nodded. "I find it best to take your time when you encounter something unfamiliar. Think through and don't be afraid to ask if you need help understanding." She glanced at Hessa. "I hear your understanding of our language is growing. Your people's natural telepathic abilities are, I understand, being stretched in ways you aren't used to using them?"

Hessa considered her answer and sent a series of images, impressions and emotions that made Troi blink in confusion. She glanced at Aela who was looking thoughtful. After a moment, the girl said, "It is getting easier, but just 'cause she can read minds doesn't mean what she finds there makes any sense." They both felt a mild flush of embarrassment from Hessa. "I think she meant to phrase that different."

Troi chuckled. "That's alright. I've often felt the same way." She considered. "Humans often show an odd duality, for instance. Sometimes they ask themselves if a decision is right while trying to make up their minds. I never have figured out who they're talking to."

They went on to talk about things that confused the two and frustrated them. Their progress or lack thereof in communicating and finding Hessa's homeworld were the main source of frustration. Troi had been following the progress of both efforts and did what she could to assist and to help reassure the two. They were not encouraged exactly, but they did appreciate her efforts and her suggestions for possible new things to try in their approaches to understanding Federation and shipboard life. When their time was up, both went home to the cabin they shared with Deborah.

Deborah, for a human, was very easy to read and still managed to be very confusing. She had not hesitated to take the two strangers into her life and into her family. Aela was very happy about that, but still found it strange that she would take that action when she barely knew the two and clearly couldn't read them the way Hessa could read her.

She had felt her smaller sister's worry and hesitation when she had tentatively asked about it, something Hessa found confusing in and of itself. It was clear, even without her abilities, that the human wanted them both there and was working, through the Federation's bizarre system of laws, to keep them with her. Her actions, as well as her thoughts and emotions, made this clear, but Aela sometimes acted as if she could barely believe it and was fearful that this new life might be snatched away from her.

Deborah had explained, as best she could, that Humans didn't do things the way the Vatai did. They didn't treat orphaned children the same way at all. They would try to find new homes for them with new families to guide and teach them. Aela had been enchanted by the idea, but was still reserved and it took Hessa a while to understand why. Aela didn't want to forget her true family and didn't want a new mother.

She hadn't come out and said it. Hessa might have had an easier time understanding if she had. Deborah, much to her surprise, understood Aela's worries almost at once. She had pulled Aela into a hug and told her not to worry. She wasn't trying to replace Aela's mother. No one could, but she would be happy if Aela would let her be a big sister to her.

The emotions the two felt were as clear as they were confusing. The Whole was everything to the People. The notion of orphan was clear enough, but made little difference in the Whole as any without direct genetic parents never felt alone. It was an almost alien concept to most. While individual biological families existed, they were not viewed in quite the same way as they were by the Humans.

Knowing that other races were different didn't prepare her to experience those differences. She thought she was adapting rather well, all things considered. Deborah was a big help with that, explaining things as best she could and Aela always tried to be supportive, even if she didn't understand the problem. The lack of affective communication made things awkward, but the three of them still felt like a Whole to her.

They came through the doors to find that Deborah hadn't yet returned. There was a message waiting for them, though. Apparently, she would be in surgery for another hour yet. Being a doctor didn't make for regular hours, and it wasn't the first time. Only a short time passed before a chime sounded and Aela let Elise in.

The nurse had occasionally volunteered to check on them while Deborah was occupied with work. She smiled at the two and asked if she could come in. They welcomed her and talked for a while about their day. She fixed some food for the two as they talked, shuddering a bit over Hessa's choice of an evening meal. The serpent didn't understand her reaction. Spinach smothered in mustard with chocolate shavings was actually quite tasty.

Aela seemed content with something called chicken Alfredo. The sauce, Hessa decided, smelled interesting, but most of the proteins fond on the Human homeworld would make her sick at best. She ate quietly with the other two and joined in the conversation as best she could. Aela did most of the talking to her as Elise seemed baffled by Hessa's projections.

Some, she had noted, reacted better to her method of communication than others. The difference seemed to have nothing to do with species or with whether an individual had telepathic or empathic abilities of their own. It seemed to be down to the individual. She reasoned that she'd just have to deal with people on a case-by-case basis. She regarded the nurse thoughtfully. This one didn't seem to mind the projections, she just didn't understand them. The Vulcan linguist seemed to understand the projections well enough, but he found the emotional content unsettling. Some, she had discovered, didn't like the medium and didn't even try to understand the message.

It would take time, she realized, for even a few of the _Enterprise_ crew to get used to her. She was just glad that Aela and Deborah accepted her without reservation. They were her new Whole, and her best chance of returning to her homeworld and saving her people. She glanced up from the meal they'd been lingering over when the door opened and Deborah came in.

She projected a fond welcome to the Human woman and got a nod and smile in return. "Hey, girls. Sorry I missed dinner." She glanced at Elise. "Thank you for dropping by to help out."

"My pleasure, Doctor," Elise smiled, rising to leave. "They always make for a fun evening." She said goodbye to Hessa and Aela and excused herself.

Deborah fetched herself some dinner and settled down at the table to hear about their day. Hessa carefully projected her overall impressions for the day and Deborah nodded. "Still confusing, but you're not discouraged? Good. I hope Counselor Troi is being helpful." She nodded as Hessa projected a confirmation. Then she turned to Aela for specifics.

This was how their evening usually began, and Hessa settled in for a relaxing evening. Later they might play a game or watch one of the entertainments the humans seemed to enjoy. Eventually Hessa drifted off to sleep listening to the gentle strains of something called a Spanish guitar.


	7. A Bad Day All Around

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

CH. 7 Bad Day All Around

"Lieutenant Davies, respond please. Lieutenant Davies."

Davies opened his eyes and instantly regretted it. The light in the room wasn't actually that bright, but what there was seemed to stab at his eyes. It was just another on a growing list of complaints his body had and was adding to by the second. "Shut up, already. I hear you," he all but growled.

There was a moment of surprised silence at the other end of the comm channel. "What is your status, lieutenant?"

"Not good," Davies answered truthfully, his head swimming as he forced himself into a sitting position. As soon as he'd managed that, his stomach started doing somersaults. "I've got the hangover, but I can't remember the party." There was another moment of silence on the other end, for which his pounding head was grateful. Davies' vision started to clear, though his head still pounded. Suddenly, he remembered. "Oh, right." He looked about the wrecked scientific outpost the away team had gone to investigate. "It was _that_ kind of party."

"Lieutenant? Are you alright?" Riker's voice took on a concerned note.

"Huh," Davies grunted, finding that, at the moment, he couldn't care less about protocol. "Head is pounding, stomach won't hold still and there seem to be more dead people in here than I remember and more furniture…and doors… Oh double vision, right?" He paused to think about that as well as he was able at the moment. "Ever notice how that never happens when you're out with a pretty woman or have a really good meal in front of you?"

"You have a concussion," Riker concluded, ignoring the rhetorical question.

"Probably," Davies answered, carefully avoiding nodding as he forced himself to focus on his surroundings. The outpost had sent an urgent distress call that had been abruptly cut off. The _Enterprise_ had arrived to find the place in a shambles but no sign of the attackers and no obvious motive for the attack. "Happened before." He carefully levered himself to his feet and looked around as he took stock of his other injuries. "Aside from the head? Just got some bruises and a few minor cuts." The room was a wreck. Whoever had attacked the outpost had left some nasty surprises behind. The booby trap the away team had tripped had knocked him silly and killed Ensign Mathers. He reported this to the first officer. "Any word from the rest?" The team had split up into two man teams to cover the outpost more quickly.

"Travis and Morris have brought back two survivors. They appear to be the only ones, and Yuki and Suvek are finishing their sweep of the outside, but we have a problem. The outpost's power plant is damaged. Unless it is stabilized soon, it's going to blow up and take the outpost with it. You're the closest. We need you to shut it down or years of research will be lost."

"Sounds like a personal problem," Davies muttered as the pain in his head got worse when he started to walk.

"What was that?" Riker asked.

"Sorry, sir. What?" Davies got the vague impression he shouldn't have said that and started to remember things about the last time he'd had a head injury. "Oh. That again," he muttered to no one in particular as Riker repeated their assessment of the situation. "Okay, sir. I'll shut it down. Which way? The main corridor's collapsed."

OOOOOOOOOO

Riker suppressed his growing irritation with Davies odd behavior and gave him directions to circumvent the damaged areas. There wasn't much time. "Are you sure you're up to this?" he asked, reviewing available resources. The whole area was a mess and the nearest point they could safely beam someone down was several minutes travel from the power plant. They would arrive too late, but Davies sounded like he was having serious trouble focusing. He glanced at Picard who looked grave but nodded. They were out of options.

"I can do it," Davies answered, sounding irritable. "I told you. This has happened before and I got the job done then, too."

"What happened before?" Riker asked as he monitored Davies position on a schematic Data had displayed on the main screen overlaid with sensor data. He was moving fairly quickly, but seemed to be having trouble moving in a straight line. Fortunately, the route to the power plant wasn't complicated.

"Concussion," the succinct reply came. "I got knocked on the head and still managed to finish the mission. The doctor wasn't happy with me for pushing myself like that, and… Oh, yeah. He said that head injuries seem to knock my filters off line. I think that's important for some reason."

"What?" Riker asked, confused by the statement. "Filters?"

"Of course, he only said that after I called him a quack," Davies continued as if he hadn't heard. "Seems he thought I lost any discretion." The last word came out slightly slurred. "I start sayin' things I normally know I shouldn't."

"Oh. Those filters," Riker said glancing at his captain who was frowning in concern.

"Yeah," Davies voice came back, sounding a little less focused. "Haven't you ever had to stop yourself from tellin' a superior officer he was being an idiot?"

"Not recently," Riker said after a brief hesitation, carefully not looking at Picard. The captain only quirked an eyebrow in his direction.

"I think it's mostly that my head hurts too much for me to care, and that doc annoyed me, saying I was long overdue for a checkup from the neck up."

"You're close to the power plant, now," Riker cut in, not sure he wanted to hear more and needing to focus the man on the task before him. "Through the next door according to the schematic."

"Which door?" The question came out slurred, but he carried on before Riker could think to answer. "Oh right, double vision. That's getting annoying. Hang on." There was the sound of a lock being worked followed by a buzz and the snapping hissing noise usually made by sparks from a live conduit. Davies cursed loudly and imaginatively. Before Riker could ask, there was a loud thud and then the sound of wrenching metal. That was followed by a hacking retching noise. The sensors showed that he was moving toward his goal again, despite his condition. "Worst part of concussions is the nausea," he was heard to mutter. "I'll be tasting that for days." He took a deep breath and Riker could see by the sensors that he'd entered the engineering section. "I'm here. Now…." He trailed off.

Riker glanced up. "Data?"

The android nodded. "Lieutenant Davies, the shutdown sequence is fairly simple, start by-"

"BOOM!"

Data paused with his mouth open and Riker glanced at the sensor display.

"Power plant is shut down," Davies reported. "Same configuration we use throughout Starfleet. My brain's bruised, not missing."

"That wasn't funny, Lieutenant," Riker snapped.

"If it's any consolation," Davies answered, his slur becoming more obvious, "shouting like that hurt me more than it did you. I need a nap now. Can I go home?"

"Erm… Yes of course," Riker decided to berate the man later. "Stand by. We'll beam you directly to sickbay."

"Again?" Davies complained. Riker ignored him and closed the channel before signaling the transporter room.

"Glad to see your filters are working Number One," Picard offered with a slight smile.


	8. Unwanted Guests

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 8 Unwanted Guests

"And… done!"

"Thanks, Martin!" Rose immediately reached out, exploring a dozen of the new paths suddenly open to her. So much to explore, so much potential… but she reminded herself that she had a job to do.

"M' pleasure, little one. Now go do that voodoo you do and we'll see about gettin' this all sorted out."

Rose took a nano-second to parse that statement and run a search of the linguistic and cultural databases. The statement, she concluded, was both a cultural reference and a play on words dependent on rhyme, although she wasn't quite sure what a primitive religion and the highly illogical and decidedly bizarre concept of 'magic' had to do with the plans they'd made. She shelved the question for later consideration and with no discernible pause, gave a related and equally nonsensical answer. "Abracadabra!" she offered cheerfully before diving into the _Enterprise_' computer system.

They weren't sure who their uninvited guests were or why they'd attacked the _Enterprise_, but getting those answers was not her top priority. The condition of the crew and their families came first.

Accessing the internal sensors without notifying their uninvited guests or tripping any of the computer's own security protocols was tricky, but within a handful of seconds, Rose managed it and determined that most crew quarters were sealed with no computer access and thus, no means of affecting the ship's systems. She could use the internal sensors to determine that there were no serious injuries among those imprisoned there, but she couldn't open the doors without alerting the enemy that something was happening. Bridge personnel and other senior officers and key staff were in the brig. She noted that Martin Taliaferro did not show up on internal sensors or on the crew manifest, and made a note to find out how he'd done that at some point. All senior staff were accounted for, as were most of the crew and their families. There were casualties, she noted sadly, but there would be time to deal with that later.

She checked internal sensors for her daddy, but didn't find him. Nor could she delay too long. The intruders were getting closer to gaining control of the ship's computer. It was currently locked down, that having been the last order Picard gave before being stunned. For the moment she had free reign, but that wouldn't last. She needed to better their odds. Changing course through the maze of computer pathways available to her, she made her way unerringly to sickbay, where two of the aliens were studying the unconscious form of Mr. Data. There was no match to them in the Starfleet database, but eavesdropping on their communications had given her some information.

The two in sickbay were using Starfleet tools as well as a few of their own odd looking devices. That gave her a way in. The link to the main computer might be shut down, but sickbay systems were operational in a limited fashion. Enough for doctors to do their work. All she had to do was reach through the signal feed from the computer to the tool the taller alien was using to poke around the android's insides and stimulate the right circuits.

Without warning, Lt. Commander Data's eyes flew open as he awakened. It took .054 seconds to assess his situation and decide on a course of action. Seizing the collar of the uniform tunics of the two aliens, he brought their heads together violently. When he released them, both slumped to the floor. Looking around more carefully, and taking in his exposed circuits, it didn't take long to determine what had been happening. The only surprise was the face that appeared on the monitor where his schematic had been displayed.

"Hi! You okay?"

"I am functional," Data responded. "Are you the one who caused the power surge to my 'off switch?'"

"Yep. We've got problems, Data, and it won't be long before we get noticed by the Skreelii. That's what they call themselves, by the way. I can hear some of them talking. They're not nice."

"Tell me what you know," Data ordered.

"Seven hours and thirty-two minutes ago, Enterprise sensors registered an anomaly. On stopping to investigate, the Enterprise was attacked by a cloaked ship. The shields were taken down from the inside when saboteurs came on board using dimensional shifting technology. They were fast, efficient and vicious. It took them one minute and thirty-five seconds to overwhelm personnel in key posts and an additional two minutes and eight seconds to lock down the rest of the ship and subdue initial resistance. There are currently 40 Skreelii soldiers on board and their ship is hanging 50,000 km to port. I've been unable to penetrate their security in any useful way. I can do it, but not without alerting them to my presence. Most of the crew is locked in their quarters with no computer access of any kind. The senior staff and most other key personnel are locked in the brig and under guard. The main computer is locked down by Captain Picard's order. They are slowly, but steadily making progress toward gaining access. I've looked for ways to slow them down, but their computers are very good. I don't think I can do anything beyond passive observation without tripping an alarm."

"Are any of the crew still free?"

"Ensign Martin Taliaferro is free. He helped me gain control and access to certain systems despite the lockdown. He has also found a way of making himself invisible to the sensors and erased his records from the computer. I am not entirely sure how he accomplished the first. I have been unable to locate daddy, but I haven't had time or access for a proper search."

"Does Ensign Taliaferro have any plans?" Data asked, wanting to know if he should be coordinating with the inventive and somewhat eccentric engineer.

"Nothing specific, at least not that he shared with me beyond saying he was going to make himself a 'pain in the ass.'" She frowned in confusion. "Then he started muttering about whether they had asses. Is their anatomy of any relevance?"

"Unlikely," Data answered after taking a second to consider the statement. "Your actions here will not go unnoticed for long. We need to relocate and find a way to take back the ship."

Rose nodded; then her normal cheerful demeanor, which had all but vanished during the briefing, reemerged. "Tuck your bits back in and I'll go scout the area, so I can warn you if they're coming." She vanished from the screen as Data glanced down at his exposed circuitry with what would have passed for an annoyed expression on a Human face.

OOOOOOOOOO

Martin Taliaferro hummed quietly as he altered the security feed from the cells monitoring systems. He'd gotten an idea from an old Earth entertainment called a 'thriller.' The idea was to trick the system into thinking that the situation in the cells had remained unchanged, when in fact the cells were empty. It was not as easy as creating a tape loop, but the same basic principle applied. It wouldn't fool the Skreelii for long, but it would buy the crew a few minutes. The guards were another matter.

Martin wasn't much in a fight and knew it, but he could create a minor distraction while someone else did the violence. He had sent Rose on her way only a few moments before finding Lieutenant Davies hiding in a Jeffries tube.

"How did you hide from them?" the ensign asked, surprised to find someone else loose.

"I set the tricorder to emit a scattering field. You learn how in advanced tactical training. You?"

"Same general idea," Taliaferro admitted, "but not as localized. I'll show you later, once we send our guests on their way."

Davies nodded. "Got a plan?" he asked, hoping someone did. He'd just been winging it so far while gathering information.

"Life's more fun without one, but…" He grinned. "I got a few ideas."

OOOOOOOOOO

Rose made the final adjustments to the environmental system. The Skreelii were reptilian, sort of. A discreet scan of them indicated that they might react the way many reptiles reacted to cold weather. She wasn't relying on that alone, though. She'd checked with Martin a moment ago and he was ready for the jail break. Better, he had met her daddy and he was okay.

"Ready," she sent over the private channel they'd arranged.

"Ready," Taliaferro answered.

"Ready," Data called from the battle bridge, where he was doing his best to re-enable systems without the Skreelii noticing. There were three dead Skreeli on the battle bridge. He had tried to merely render them unconscious, but they had resisted him so fiercely and proven so difficult to injure that he'd had no choice.

"Ready," Kevin Davies said, even as he dropped the guard on the door to the brig with a club to the head. Energy weapons would have set off alarms, as the crew had discovered during the initial attempt at taking the ship back. That attempt had ended badly for the security team behind it and twelve randomly chosen members of the crew.

He checked the guard's life signs with a tricorder since he had no idea where to look for a pulse on the creature, assuming it had one. The lowered temperature didn't seem to bother the Skreelii. In fact, they hadn't seemed to notice it. The blow to the head, he noted wryly, seemed more effective. It wasn't moving, and it was bleeding, but that didn't necessarily mean it was out. The Skreelii proved this by sweeping his legs from under him and leaping atop him with a hissing growl. _Looks like all I did was make him angry_, he mused as he rolled over and began struggling with the invader. He finally felt something in the torso give under his blows and the Skreelii went limp.

Rising in a hurry, he opened the door to find the remaining guard and the prisoners in the brig, looking around in confusion. There was a noise coming out of the room's comm system that seemed to baffle everyone. The guard's attention was focused on the controls and barely turned in time as Davies swung his improvised club. The fight that ensued had musical accompaniment, as Taliaferro went from humming to singing.

"-the cops have wooden legs,

The bulldogs all have rubber teeth,

And the hens lay soft-boiled eggs!"

Davies wasn't sure what the man was going on about, and didn't waste time listening. The guard was tough. And vicious, he added to himself as it got free of a joint lock by biting him.

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

The jails are made of tin.

The security fields abruptly vanished and Riker delivered a solid kick to the creature's midsection that put it down and out as the captain joined them.

"and you can walk right out again,

As soon as you're put in!"

The senior officers glanced at each other, wondering if there was a genuine plan behind the nonsense coming out of the ensign's mouth. He happily continued on detailing the wonders of the mountains before ending with,

"I'll see you all,

This coming fall

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

The word 'fall' coincided with a loud commotion from the corridor. Picard moved toward the door, after collecting a phaser from the security locker.

"I wouldn't do that captain," Rose called over his communicator. "I'm having a little trouble localizing the effect. The gravity plating really wasn't intended for this and I had to bypass a bunch of safeguards."

"Gravity plating?" the captain asked, even as Davies applied an improvised pressure bandage to his arm.

"In case you're wondering," he said to Taliaferro and anyone else listening, "these guys do _not_ have rubber teeth."

"I've adjusted the gravity plating in the corridors and on the bridge to 4.5 Gs. That's as high as I could push it without damaging the systems. All intruders are currently immobilized. Mr. Data is on the battle bridge, dealing with the Skreelii ship. It took time to get everything ready as we had to bypass not only the _Enterprise_' own safeguards but the computer the Skreelii are using to try to break through the lockout. Their computer technology seems a few decades ahead of the Federation's."

"What is the status of the alien ship?" Picard asked.

Rose looked in on Data and checked the external sensors that had become available seconds ago thanks to the android's efforts. "It's been destroyed, sir. Data wasn't able to prevent an alarm sounding when he re-enabled weapons, but he was able to arm and launch two photon torpedoes quickly enough that the alien ship wasn't able to respond."

"Casualties?" Riker asked as he carefully opened the door to the corridor.

There was a pause. "We've lost 23 people, sir," Rose answered quietly.

Neither Riker nor Picard answered. They just stared coldly at the three aliens struggling on the deck before them like fish out of water. Despite the increased gravity, the closest one tried to point its weapon. Davies tossed his club into the corridor, where the increased gravity brought it down on the alien like a sledge hammer. Riker glanced at him.

"Sorry, sir. I guess that was kind of petty of me."

"I didn't say anything," Riker shook his head and tried not to smirk. Picard refrained from commenting.

OOOOOOOOOO

Davies winced as he flexed his arm. "It'll be tender for a couple of days," Chambers told him. "Be glad it wasn't worse. There was a time when you'd have had that arm in a sling for a month or more and possibly never gotten full use of it again."

Davies nodded absently, not really interested in the history of medical technology as long as the current stuff worked. "How are your girls?"

"They came through it fine," Deborah nodded. "Stayed in our quarters and out of sight the whole time." She'd breathed a sigh of relief over that. She'd been in sickbay during the attack and had been locked up with the medical staff. She'd spent the entire time worrying about Hessa and Aela.

When it was all over, she'd been left to deal with the injured while Dr. Crusher and a team of xenobiologists went over the living prisoners and the corpses. They'd also captured a lot of the alien's gear; none of which was her concern but had engineering very busy.

The prisoners, from what she'd overheard, weren't talking. Hopefully, Worf and Troi would be able to get some answers out of them, but that also wasn't her concern. The wounded were. Davies was the worst of the injuries, as the Skreelii had tended to kill people rather than just hurt them.

The attack had left a total of 23 dead. There would be an appropriate response in time, but for the moment, they needed to recover and learn what they could about their new enemies.


	9. Connecting the Dots

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 9 Connecting the Dots

Ensign Martin Taliaferro frowned at the display and tilted his head to the right, as if hoping that a different angle would provide some insight. No such luck. "I don't get it," he admitted after a moment.

"You're not alone," Geordi assured him. "The universal translator is still struggling with their language and we can't make much sense of their technology till it finishes."

"The basic principles should be the same," Taliaferro pointed out, "but these readings on the computer's processing speed and power make no sense."

"The allocation of resources is also odd," Data commented. "There are aspects of it that will not be clear until the translator is finished, but the percentage allocated on a regular schedule to what appears to be a minor subroutine is unusual. All that subroutine appears to do is manage the data storage. It shouldn't require that much processing power, though."

"True," Taliaferro agreed, "but we don't know what kinda data's being moved or why. Could be part of a security routine or, for all we know, might be some cultural significance to the ratios."

"Possible," Geordi nodded. "I guess there could be some cultural significance to the number 38, but it seems pointless to speculate about that."

"Well," Taliaferro mused out loud as he considered the question, "it's not the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything. That's 42."

Geordi and Data stared at him. Data opened his mouth, but Geordi shook his head. "Don't ask," he advised quietly. "He might explain, and my brain already hurts."

Martin continued to review the data, oblivious to the officers' reactions. "The language _is_ very complex, but all the same underlyin' scientific principles apply to their tech. Working up from them to this level of computer technology, though... That may be pointless. The language'll be cracked 'fore we get close."

"True," Geordi allowed, "so we'll take a different approach." He tapped the panel a few times and brought up a new display. "These are the basic parameters, as near as we can understand them." The discussion soon drifted into theories and hypotheses that held no interest for Rose, so she refocused her attention.

OOOOOOOOOO

Worf was glaring at the Skreelii prisoners to no apparent effect. The scaly bipeds were hard to read. They were undeniably aggressive and had tried to escape several times. The failure of the _Enterprise_' crew to punish these efforts with executions only encouraged the prisoners to consider their captors weak and contemptible.

Counselor Troi had been watching them closely for some time, but seemed at a loss as to how to get through to them. What was known about them had been deduced. The Skreelii weren't talking. What they had of the language consisted of recorded transmissions and bits and pieces overheard by Data and Rose herself. It wasn't much for the computer to work with. They seemed to communicate among themselves nonverbally, but there was no evidence of telepathy. There were captured images of gestures and movements that might be and probably were part of a covert language, but no progress had been made with that either. The aliens were a highly militant race that seemed to believe that only the strong survived. Those not strong enough were suitable only as slaves or food.

One of the things that had most outraged the captain and crew was what had been done with the bodies of the slain crew. It seemed the Skreelii didn't believe in wasting anything. Rose had watched their reactions with confusion. She just couldn't relate to biological lifeforms on so many levels. They had limitations she didn't really understand. Of course, her own state had limitations, too. In each case, along with those limitations came a way of thinking that was, by its nature, alien. The Vulcans summed it up as IDIC, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. She rather liked that concept and the thinking behind it.

The IDIC concept didn't really help with the Skreelii, though. They seemed intolerant of anything different, convinced of their own superiority. They seemed to regard their current circumstances as an annoyance.

She wondered if the people who had created her knew the Skreelii, and if so, how? Unfortunately, she had no way of finding out, but it occurred to her that there were others on board who might not have been asked about the Skreelii. With this in mind, she sought out Aela and Hessa.

The sisters, as most thought of them by this point, were settling down after dinner when Rose contacted them. It would have been simple to override the communications system and open a visual link without asking, but daddy had told her that doing so when there was no pressing need would be rude. Instead, she caused the comm in Dr. Chamber's quarters to chirp for attention.

"Chambers here."

"Hello, Doctor. Rose here. I'd like to talk to Aela and Hessa if I can."

"Sure. Although, I'm not sure how you're going to talk to Hessa." That was an issue, Rose admitted. She was completely unable to understand the serpent-like alien. Empathy, telepathy, and other such abilities were as incomprehensible to her as subspace signals were to humans without the technology to receive them. It ran both ways, of course. Although Hessa could hear her, Rose thoughts and emotions didn't register on Hessa's senses. Aela had told her how frustrating her sister found it and likened it to reading a transcript of a conversation without any context at all.

"We'll just have to do our best," Rose replied with a shrug, appearing on the monitor of the doctor's workstation. Aela came to sit in the chair as Hessa climbed onto the desk and poked her head around to see the screen. "Hi." Rose greeted them. Aela returned her friendly greeting and Hessa carefully bobbed her head in acknowledgement.

"What's up?" Aela asked, using a human expression she'd picked up.

"I've been reviewing every bit of information I can find about the Skreelii," Rose dove right in. "There isn't a lot to work with, though. It occurred to me that your own peoples might have met them at some point."

"Hmm," Aela considered. "I can't 'member hearing about anything like them, but we were more worried about having enough food to eat than learning history." She shrugged. "Sorry. Maybe you could ask the Vatai ruling council. They kind of owe the _Enterprise_."

"A worthwhile idea," Rose nodded. "The captain has probably thought of it, but I'll ask." She glanced at Hessa, but Aela shook her head.

"Hessa doesn't know anything about them, but she says their minds are pretty awful."

"She can read them?" Rose asked curiously. Counselor Troi had been hitting a barrier she couldn't breach when trying to sense the Skreelii. She could feel something from them when they were highly agitated, but couldn't tell what it was. Most of the time it was like trying to read a holodeck character. There was nothing there.

Rose, of course, had no frame of reference for telepathic or empathic abilities. Troi, when asked about it, had likened it to trying to explain color to a person who'd been blind their whole life. "Have you told anyone that?"

Aela glanced at her sister with a confused look and frowned slightly. "I think the subject makes her uncomfortable. She doesn't want to….be rude?" She nodded after a few seconds. "That's close enough to right. I think she doesn't want to be asked to pry into someone else's mind…it's…not a crime on her world precisely, but…" She broke off in confusion.

"That's okay," Rose assured her. "I wouldn't want her to do something she felt bad about."

"She appreciates that," Aela smiled. "And so do I."

"I'm sure the captain wouldn't try to force you to do anything, so no worries."

"I don't really get all the details about why, but it's… inappropriate?" Aela broke off. "I dunno. Just can't do it without a really good reason. And this isn't an emergency." She broke off again and waited. "She can't…dig…anyway, so there isn't much she could tell you."

Rose could tell the conversation was making the two uncomfortable based on their body language and Aela's speech patterns. She decided to end the conversation. "I understand. Perhaps the Vatai will know something of the Skreelii. Thank you."

The sisters nodded and broke the connection with some relief. Deborah had heard the conversation, of course, and felt Hessa's discomfort at the idea of deliberately intruding on someone else's mind. After a moment's thought about what she'd learned, she dismissed it. Deborah knew her kind-hearted sister well enough to know that if the captain or one of the senior officers asked, Hessa might agree to participate in the interrogation, but she would feel awful about it later. Best to avoid putting her in a situation that would violate her personal ethics in that way. So Deborah was determined not to bring it up with anyone. She was fairly certain that Rose wouldn't tell anyone either. AI or not, Rose was a sweet child.

She refocused on her work. The Skreelii biology was unusual, but nothing she didn't understand. A species' biology could tell a skilled physician a lot about the environment the species evolved in. So far, she'd learned that the world they evolved on was likely near the sunward edge of what used to be called the 'goldilocks' zone. Most likely the species had evolved from water dwelling reptiles. Everything that could be pieced together about the Skreelii, their culture, history and technology was being put into a database for analysis by the various departments studying them. She hadn't looked at the overall picture yet, preferring to focus on her area of expertise without being sidetracked by information from other departments that might or might not be relevant and lead her down false trails. Looking at the big picture would come later. She wondered briefly if the fact that Hessa could clearly read the Skreelii said more about Hessa or the guests locked in their brig.

Deciding that that was an unproductive line of thinking, she went back to the test results from the autopsy of one the Skreelii.

OOOOOOOOOO

Rose watched the Skreelii prisoners through the security monitor and thought about what little she'd learned about them. They were reptilian, sort of; there were important differences between the Skreelii and reptiles found on Earth, which seemed to be the Humans' yardstick, which she thought was a curious expression. They were highly aggressive and apparently territorial. Based on the readings from their weapons and what remained of their technology, the Skreelii had been behind the attack on the research facility. The report of the two survivors of that station had been reviewed, but they had never set eyes on their attackers. It was hypothesized that they had attacked because they saw the facility as an intrusion into space they claimed. It was also possible that the Skreelii were expanding their territory, as the station had been there for almost three years.

The first theory was confirmed to an extent by a reply to Picard's message to the Vatai. They knew little about the vicious aliens, but they had learned to avoid certain systems and areas of space. The Skreelii attacked without warning or explanation should anyone enter their space, and they apparently spoke to no one outside their own species. They had not, to the Vatai's knowledge, taken a new system in over a century. When they did move in on a world, however, they were swift and decisive, and completely ruthless.

The message explained a few things about their guests, including the lack of progress with their language, as the Skreelii refused to communicate with aliens. There had to be, Rose reasoned, a way to get through to them. Thanks to the Vatai; the _Enterprise_ now had maps of their territory and what little they knew of Skreelii' space. To Rose' delight; the captain had also asked the Vatai about her creators, sending images of the ship and of the crew. There was little there, even less than they had on the Skreelii, but it offered a way to contact her creators, the Alasi'ar, at some point. For the moment, Rose set thoughts of her creators aside.

The _Enterprise_ had been attacked two days travel at warp 4 from one of the systems the Skreelii claimed. That was likely _why_ they had been attacked. It also meant that more company would likely be coming. The captain was aware of this and had the ship on yellow alert until they were out of the region. Their prisoners would be dropped at the nearest starbase.

Skreelii territory, Vatai territory, Federation territory, Alasi'ar territory (what they knew of it), and the unknown regions that had only been scanned, all made for a big puzzle, and Rose loved puzzles. She gathered all of the information they had, and then got permission to use a holodeck by telling her father she had an idea that could help everyone involved, and got him to schedule some time for her on holodeck three. With that secure, she set to work.

She applied everything they had learned so far from the various sources and set to work resolving conflicting data. Starting with Federation records and the _Enterprise_' long range sensor data, she then worked in the data the Vatai had provided to fill in the blanks in the sensor data.

The little data she had on the Alasi'ar was added as well. It consisted of coordinates and a long range scan of one system bordering Skreelii space. There was a slightly larger piece to the puzzle from Hessa, as she had been able to provide a little information about her route and systems other explorers from her homeworld were visiting. It all came together slowly, but it came together. Once it was ready, she invited the senior staff, her daddy and the sisters to view her handiwork.

The captain looked down at Rose and smiled patiently at her temporarily solid self as she gave Lieutenant Davies a hug. Davies returned it with a chuckle and a smile of his own. "Worth it just for that," he assured her. "But the captain and the senior staff are busy people. What did you call us here for?"

"Right," Rose stepped back with a smile. "I took all of the data we had about this area of space and the people who live here and I put together a map. Watch." She turned away and communed briefly with the computer, giving a silent command. The holodeck shimmered and they found themselves standing in a star field. Sections of it were surrounded by soft glows of various colors. "Here is Federation space," she began, pointing at a large area that glowed a soft orange. "Not all of it, just the section currently relevant. We're currently here," she pointed and the perspective shifted dramatically, showing a tiny image of the ship itself moving toward Federation space. Perspective changed again and the view expanded, making several of her audience blink and rub their eyes. Rose didn't notice. "This is Vatai territory in green. As you can see, it encompasses these five systems with the world Aela and Hessa were rescued from 35.07 light years beyond their border." She pointed to a specific star that flashed briefly. "This, in red, is what we know of Skreelii territory. I've included the system with the attacked outpost, even though we don't know they've actually claimed that world."

"And the yellow?" Riker asked wanting to move things along.

"Alasi'ar, space," Rose said. "We only know about the one system, but I'm guessing there are more as the Vatai report indicates that the Alasi'ar only turned up there about 80 years ago. The rest are systems we have no information on. Somewhere in here is Hessa's home." Perspective shifted again at a silent order from the AI, causing several people to blink in irritation as the tiny stars seemed to rush past and in some cases through them as they grew. Rose took no notice and pointed at a star in particular. "This is the system where you found the Vatai colony and Hessa. Based on what she has been able to tell us of her course, her previous stop was here." She pointed to a system with a small yellow star. With her finger, she drew a line between the two. "A system with five planets, none of them class M but the second one class L."

A wave of certainty passed over them. "Hessa says, yes," Aela confirmed for Rose' benefit.

Rose nodded. "Based on what she's been able to tell us about the search her people are conducting, there are certain systems we can rule out." She touched certain stars and they dimmed. "No planets here. Just airless rocks here." Several more were ruled out for similar reasons. "This system," she indicated one in particular, "is a likely candidate. Eight planets, one of them class M, sort of."

"Sort of?" the captain asked.

"It's on the inner edge of the habitable zone for Hessa's people, based on her biology. The sensor readings are incomplete at best, but the orbit is elliptical, indicating a pretty severe climate shift from season to season. Anyone living there would fry and freeze by turns. Not really ideal for a colony."

"Hessa says she visited that one," Aela spoke up. Rose nodded and drew a line connecting the three systems Hessa was now known to have visited. "So her home is somewhere in this direction," Rose surmised, indicating a fair sized area, "probably not further than here." A section began to glow a soft blue. "Other ships would have been sent in other directions." She looked at Hessa. "Did all of the systems have small to medium sized yellow suns?"

"Yes," Aela said, after a glance at Hessa. The others had felt the confirmation as well.

"Do you know the details of any of the courses of the other ships?" Again, there was confirmation. At Hessa's urging, Aela carried her around the images, looking for something familiar that would give her perspective. Rose, in the meantime, dimmed the stars that were not suitable for one reason or another. It left a dauntingly large number.

Hessa suddenly stopped Aela and stared, at first in triumph and then in growing concern. The system she focused on, at the edge of the newly formed, if incomplete, map was dangerously close to what they knew of Skreelii territory.

OOOOOOOOOO

"If one of Hessa's people is heading toward a Skreelii system, they'll be destroyed on sight," Riker frowned, looking around the conference table.

"Or captured for study," Troi put in. "Either is likely, based on what we've learned about then."

"And both are results we should try and prevent," Debora put in. She knew she was speaking out of turn, but the captain had asked for her presence at the briefing, and she wasn't going to be shy.

"We will do what we are able to, Doctor," the captain assured her. "The Skreelii have proven themselves a potential threat to every star-faring race in the sector. We will attempt to warn off the vessel, but there is only so much we can do. It is not Federation policy to start wars."

"There is no need to worry about that if we circumvent their territory," Data pointed out. "It will take longer, but if we travel at warp 8.5, we should reach the system in question in two days."

"It'll be a strain on the engines," Geordi nodded, "but we can do it."

"I will contact Starfleet Command for authorization to violate the warp speed limit," the captain agreed. "I believe they'll allow it under the circumstances."

"If we can intercept that ship," Chambers reminded them, "we won't be just saving the life of the pilot. We'll be making contact with a new space faring race, one that needs our help based on what Hessa has told us about their world."

"That will be pointed out, Dr. Chambers," Picard assured her. "I have little doubt they'll agree. In the meantime we'll set a course, best speed." He made a call to the bridge and set them on their course. "We may have to face the Skreelli again, whether we wish to or not, so what have we learned about them?"

"Not much," Riker admitted. "Rose' map and her files on their language were a big help, but it's an incomplete picture. The Vatai' data filled in some gaps for us, but we still know too little about them." He sat back. "They're militant and highly aggressive to outsiders. This would suggest xenophobia, but frankly, they don't seem afraid of anything."

"No luck with their language?"

"Some," Troi answered. "We've learned more from their computers than we have from the prisoners, though. They don't communicate with us at all. We have seen evidence of a gestural language, but don't have enough information to make any headway with that, either."

"Gestural language?" Data asked, intrigued, "like the sign language used by the-?"

"Not exactly," Troi shook her head. "This seems more covert than a standard form of communication, and it seems to incorporate body language. It is complex enough for them to have organized three separate escape attempts."

"All of which were stopped with little difficulty and no casualties," Worf interjected.

Picard nodded in acknowledgment of the statement and sat back. "We're on course to intercept the ship, hopefully before the Skreelii detect it. Very shortly, we'll be able to move more quickly. For now, all we can do is continue our efforts to learn more about the Skreelii and prepare the ship for a possible confrontation with them. We were caught by surprise once. I don't want it happening again."

"Their cloaking technology is not equal to Klingon or Romulan," Worf answered. "With the sensors properly tuned, we can detect them. Their intrusion into our systems and capture of the computer they brought on board to try to gain control of ours, have given us an excellent gauge of what they are capable of. We have created an affective defense against any attempts to override our systems."

"Good," Picard nodded, pleased at this bit of news. "Mr. LaForge? Any other progress with their technology?"

"We've studied their hand weapons and the wreckage of their ship. Given the nature of the weapons, I believe we can modulate our shields to drastically reduce the effectiveness of any attack against us, at least until they adjust, which probably won't take them long. The dimensional shifting tech is a bigger problem, but we've encountered this tech before. I believe with a properly modulated subspace field, we can keep them out. We won't know until we can test it, though. Still a lot we don't know about their systems. How they manage to use it safely, for instance."

"We've examined the Skreelii prisoners and the bodies of the dead we have. None of them show any of the cellular or genetic damage we'd expect to see with the use of this technology, and their biology, while unusual, doesn't explain it."

"We have managed to rig an early warning system, though," Geordi broke in. "The subspace echo the use of the tech causes is very distinctive. When we pick it up, we can pinpoint not only the source of the transmission, but the point they're targeting. It'll only be a few seconds warning, but once we know where they're coming in, we can trap them with force fields or emergency bulkheads."

"See how much of an advantage you can give us in that respect, Mr. LaForge," the captain ordered, "and continue your efforts to learn more about them. I want us to be ready to talk to them or, if necessary, fight them."


	10. A Slice of Artificial Life

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 10 Slice of Artificial Life

Kevin Davies opened the door to his quarters to the sound of giggling. He entered without any apparent concern, but Deanna hesitated at the door. "You know," Kevin said to the room in general, noting her hesitation, "there was a time when I would have found disembodied giggling _really_ creepy. Now it's just part of home."

"Hi daddy!" Rose called through the comm system, breaking away from whatever she was doing that had her giggling, as Deanna entered the room, her best professional smile making way for one of genuine amusement. "Hi, Counselor Troi. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to check in on you and your father. You've both been through a lot recently." She knew from experience that both Davies and his daughter preferred directness. In Rose' case, although she observed the social niceties, she really didn't understand the need for them and the concept of small talk baffled her.

"True," Rose allowed. "He's been hurt twice now since I came to live on _Enterprise_. This is statistically unusual based on my research."

"Job can be dangerous," Kevin agreed, "but it's necessary, and I think I'm pretty good at it."

"You are efficient," Rose acknowledged, "despite the amount of trouble you get into. Still don't like you getting hurt."

"Me neither," Kevin said, heading for the replicator. "Can I get something for you, Counselor?" He gestured for her to take a seat at the table and ordered a cup of barley tea for himself.

"No thank you," Deanna said, taking the offered seat. "I am curious, Rose. What had you giggling when we came in?"

"Oh. I read an engineering textbook written on Earth in 1996, old calendar. They sure had some funny ideas."

"They did what they could with what they had," Davies said, taking a seat. "If you want some perspective, I'd suggest reading a text on medieval science as well as books on the achievements of the ancient Mayans, Greeks, and Chinese." He took a sip of his tea. "It's a process, just like in any sentient species. I'm sure there was a time when the Alasi'ar were oohing and ahhing over fire, just like everyone else. And now, here you are."

"Very true," Rose admitted. "It's still funny, though."

Davies chuckled. "No argument there."

Troi decided to get on with the business at hand. "Have you been able to learn much about the Alasi'ar, Rose?"

"Not much," Rose made a sound like a sigh, making Troi wonder. Clearly, Rose didn't need to breathe. She recalled that Data occasionally mimicked certain Human behaviors as a way of fitting in. It seemed likely Rose was doing the same, just as she mimicked human speech patterns. "I've been over the data the Vatai provided many times, but found nothing beyond what I initially learned. They have a colony or base of some sort in that system, but the Vatai have had very few dealings with them."

"So you'll have to visit them if you want to know more," Davies concluded. "I'll try to arrange it, although I can't make any promises."

"I know, daddy," Rose answered. "Thank you."

"The Federation will most likely try to make contact with the Alasi'ar at some point," Troi reasoned. "I think you two would be an excellent choice to be a part of that mission."

"That's a ways down the road," Kevin sighed. "We have a lot to do before we can think about that."

"There are the Skreelii to worry about, and finding Hessa's home," Rose confirmed. "I am monitoring the progress on both fronts as best I can. All of the preparations are going well."

Davies frowned thoughtfully, recalling her comment from earlier. "Rose? What did you mean about the amount of trouble I get into?"

"Based on your service and personnel records," Rose answered simply. "You've received 14 commendations and nine reprimands."

"You accessed my records?" Davies asked, setting down his tea. He was a little surprised, though not overly upset.

"Yes. Was I not supposed to? Those records aren't classified. I checked."

"Perhaps not, Rose," Troi interjected, "but they are private. You need authorization to access them. Did you access anyone else's?"

"Three," she admitted. "I wanted to get the whole story behind a couple of those incidents."

"And you didn't have any trouble getting at them?" her father asked.

"No," Rose answered.

"Am I going to be hearing from Lieutenant Worf about security breaches?" he asked.

"Of course not," Rose sounded a bit indignant. "I was careful."

Davies frowned slightly but decided to let that statement pass without comment. "Then I suppose I'll have to call him myself, won't I?" Davies said taking up his cup of tea to resume drinking it.

There was a slight hesitation and Rose sighed. "Yes, daddy. Sorry. I won't do it again."

"I'll hold you to that," he promised. "We'll go over in more detail what you are and are not allowed to access without permission, as I know you haven't forgotten the rules already laid out."

"I haven't," she confirmed. "The accidental deletion of data due to time and lack of access is a strictly organic failing."

"Uh-huh." He glanced at Troi. "Not what you were expecting?" he asked, leaving the question open ended.

Not sure what was meant by the question she gave a diplomatic answer. "I had no expectations," she said, shaking her head.

"Is it difficult for you to perform an assessment of me when you can't detect my thoughts or emotions?" Rose asked curiously.

Troi was surprised by the sudden question, but she didn't think, on reflection, that Rose was trying to change the subject, so she decided to just see where the conversation took them. The security breach was a matter for Lt. Davies anyway. "It is a change," she admitted, "but I'm trained for just such work."

"You want to know how I'm fitting in, correct? I know I make mistakes, but I think I'm doing alright over all. The command structure is simple enough but the social dynamic is fairly complex, especially when a dozen different cultures interact. It's the unwritten rules of social behavior that confuse me the most."

"We all have trouble with those, occasionally," her father allowed. "Live and learn."

"Yes, daddy." Her attention switched back to Troi. "Does telepathy really make a psychologist's job easier? Research suggests many would see it as an invasion."

"Some do," she allowed, "which is why telepaths and empaths follow a strict code of ethics. I'm only half Betazoid," Troi replied. "My father was human, so I can only sense strong emotions."

"That might actually be for the best," Rose observed, causing her father to wince.

"So, you read that report too, huh?"

Troi looked at him curiously. "Report?"

"It's not important," Davies shook his head. "Just an embarrassing incident a few years ago." Rose began giggling again and Davies sighed. "Want to hear it?"

"I'd love to," Rose said. "I love your stories, and the reports are so dry."

"I'll admit I'm curious," Troi added, "but-."

"Its fine," he assured her. "You might get a laugh out of it. I was assigned as a guard at a scientific conference. I'm not sure why." He settled back in his chair and Troi did the same. "The conference was a snore for those assigned to security. There were no problems and the topics were way over my head."

"Sounds dull," Troi agreed.

"At one point, I found myself standing at the door of conference room where they were talking in five and six syllable words."

OOOOOOOOOO

Davies tuned it out for the most part, the content of the presentation wasn't really his concern. He was there to… _Why am I here?_ It seemed unlikely that there was a potential threat to any of the attendees, and none of them seemed to be any kind of threat personally. No one who didn't belong there had tried to get in and he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to do so. _So why am I here?_

The assignment was so dull, his mind started to wander and he found himself listening in for lack of anything better to do. _Blah, blah, big word, blah, blah really big word…_ But he paused upon hearing the words 'molecular reduction.' _Huh?_

Paying slightly more attention to the lecture gave the dangerously bored ensign a notion of what the scientists were talking about. It seems the jman in charge was planning on shrinking a test vehicle and crew to the size of a pea. Davies blinked at this, slowly, then blinked again. _Okay. That's the 'what' but the 'why' eludes me._

He thought about it for a time then gave it up in favor of thinking about how bored he was. Several people had passed the door to the conference room but seemed to have less interest in the topic than he did, which was a wonder to him. Eventually, he drifted back to the discussion. _So what can you do with a shrunken ship? Espionage? No. A tiny ship would still show up on sensors and getting taken out by a fly swatter would just be embarrassing. Medical applications? Wasn't there an old entertainment about a group of doctors being shrunk so they could go inside a patient to operate? _ After a moment's thought he discarded the idea as impractical. Too many easier ways with nanotechnology. _Good idea for a drama,_ he allowed,_ lousy idea for a proctologist._ He listened attentively for a while, but heard no hint of potential applications. _Still wondering about the why here, folks._ It was all theory about how it would be done, none of which he understood. _Hot water? Maybe he's going to wash it in hot water._ The scientists didn't seem to sure themselves, as they kept debating about exotic particles and radiation levels. Radiation at the levels mentioned, he knew were usually a bad thing. _Tellin' you guys,_ he glanced at them._ Hot water doesn't pose any of those problems._

There was a brief pause in the discussion and Davies turned his attention toward the room. Not seeing any problems after a quick examination, he looked back to the corridor. The discussion resumed and he soon grew bored again. _Blah, blah, big word, blah, blah really big word._ He spotted a Klingon approaching the room, but after consulting the placard next to the door, he moved on.

_More fun than the law allows_, Davies reflected, glancing up and down the corridor before turning his attention back to the discussion. They were talking about exotic particles found in a certain nebula, and seemed stuck on scheduling around certain stellar events.

_Don't have to schedule a hot bath_, he reflected. _Of course, you'd have to be careful not to boil the crew; that would be embarrassing_.

"We are not going to wash it in hot water!"

Davies' head snapped around to scan the room. The head researcher was looking extremely aggravated about something, but there didn't seem to be any reason and no immediate threat to the group in the room. _How about putting the ship and crew on an extreme diet, then?_ Davies wondered absently as he scanned the room and took in the surprised and confused expressions of the other researchers. Then it clicked. _Hot water? _He took a closer look at the extremely annoyed scientist who was now glaring at him. _Oh Betazoid_.

OOOOOOOOOO

"When I realized he was responding to things I was thinking…I thought something I probably shouldn't have. He jumps to his feet, glaring at me and says; 'that was just rude.' Which, to be fair, it had been."

"You must have been very annoying to get a reaction like that," Deanna chuckled.

"Guess so," he agreed. "I'm probably the only security officer in Starfleet with a reprimand for not controlling my thoughts."

"They went that far?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"I don't let it bother me," he shrugged. "I usually get a laugh when I tell the story, and I don't think anyone really holds it against me, not even that scientist after he calmed down."

OOOOOOOOOO

Deana Troi left Davies' quarters with a sense of relief. Evaluating a person whose emotions she couldn't sense was more difficult than she liked to admit. Her training and experience made it possible of course, but the endeavor made her realize that, perhaps, she relied a bit too much on her empathy. Rose was a strange case. It never occurred to her to think of the AI as anything but a person, but that didn't mean she overlooked that person's nature.

There were two distinct sides to Rose, Deana reflected. She acted very much like a little girl, saying things the way that a child would and being, well…childish. Rose had laughed at her father's story at the appropriate points and had reacted in much the way an organic child would. After watching Davies praise her and joke with her or gently admonish her when necessary, it seemed a healthy family relationship to her, if a very odd one.

Then, there was what the girl said. Rose understood many things and learned with the speed one would expect of an AI. Deana wondered briefly how much of the 'little girl' persona was an act. She knew some of it was, but in many ways, she was still just a child. There was so much about Federation culture that she simply didn't understand and she was learning just as a child would.

While Rose occasionally watched the classes that Hessa and Aela attended she did not do so regularly and preferred independent study. That independent study included watching people in Ten-Forward, playing logic games with the two Vulcan children on the ship and their parents, and apparently, reviewing files she shouldn't be accessing.

She bore further watching, but the counselor didn't believe Rose was any sort of intentional threat. Turning toward her office, she began to formulate her report and recommendations. Thinking about all she'd learned during that visit, she couldn't help smiling over Davies' story. The scientist must have been very high-strung to react that way to random thoughts. Pushing that aside, she wondered when Davies would report to Worf.

That question was answered when the turbolift doors opened on her deck and Worf was standing there waiting, looking rather unhappy. "Worf," she greeted him.

"Counselor," he nodded. "Have you just come from Lt. Davies' quarters?"

She nodded. "He called you then, about Rose?"

"He did," the security chief confirmed as they swapped places in the turbolift. "Perhaps Miss Davies has been granted a bit too much freedom."

Troi decided not to comment. It wasn't her area. The doors closed and she continued toward her office while wondering about Rose' comments about the amount of trouble Davies got into. There were probably some more interesting stories to be told.


	11. A Tale Untold

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 11 A TALE UNTOLD

Captain Jean Luc Picard nodded in acceptance of Rose' apology. No harm had been meant and briefly limiting her access to certain areas seemed an adequate punishment. He still found the notion of adopting an alien AI to be rather strange, but Davies seemed happy with the arrangement, and as far as anyone could tell, including Cmdr. Data, Cmdr. LaForge, and Counselor Troi, Rose was exactly what she claimed to be.

The AI had been instrumental in retaking the ship from the Skreelii and had proved helpful on other occasions, so Picard was willing to accept the situation, odd though it might be. Most people seemed to accept Rose as well and treated her as they would any civilian family member.

As he settled at the table in Ten-Forward, where several of his officers and a few security personnel were gathered, he reflected that Rose' hijinks had one upside. Her snooping had unearthed mention of an incident involving Davies and his late, much lamented friend, Walker Kiel. He had held off reviewing the file himself at Troi's suggestion. It seemed Davies was quite the story teller.

He had some hesitation over putting the man on the spot, but his junior officers seemed to have already done that. Settling back in his chair he watched the junior officers banter back and forth as drinks were handed out.

"So story time," Yuki said, causing Davies to roll his eyes a bit. "I understand you served on the _Horatio_ under captain Kiel?"

Davies nodded. "I did."

"I was hoping you'd tell that one," Rose chirped over the group's comm badges. "Is that the one where Captain Kiel spooned you?" The question was met with dead silence and all eyes turned toward a red-faced security officer.

"S-she means that he stabbed me with a spoon," he quickly clarified. "Rose, spooning isn't like knifing someone. Spooning is… different." Everyone was still staring at him, with much the same expression.

"Really?" Rose asked, sounding surprised. "Non-standard usage is so complicated. Checking linguistic database."

Davies opened his mouth to try to forestall that. "Ah, Rose, actually-"

"Oh! That _is_ different!" She paused, apparently taking in the reactions of those at the table. "Um…sorry?"

"I should hope so," Morris winced. "None of us wanted that image in our heads." At that point the choking sounds coming from Riker and LaForge turned into full blown laughter.

Davies chanced a look at the captain and found him with a tight smile and shaking shoulders. He coughed when he noticed Davies watching him and shook his head slightly. "Yes, well. How exactly did Walker come to stab you with a spoon?"

"And what is it with you and cutlery?" Riker added, earning more laughter from the audience.

Davies cleared his throat, ignoring the question. "I was stationed aboard the _Horatio_ working under Lt. Cmdr. Maktin, an Andorian officer that had been with Captain Kiel for nearly eight years. I had been there about three months when the _Horatio_ made first contact with the Zafien." He glanced about. "Ever met them?"

Riker nodded. "I believe there are two currently at the Academy."

"They're a good people," Davies nodded. "Very easygoing, and I think they'll make a good fit with the Federation when they're ready. Since Captain Kiel made the first contact, he was the logical choice to ferry the diplomats to their homeworld for initial treaty negotiations."

The others nodded. That was standard practice. Familiar faces would, whenever possible, make the introductions for the diplomats. It wasn't always possible or even necessary, but it usually made the process easier. The Zafien had been no exception.

"It went well and after a few days, the agreements were finalized. The Zafien' leaders invited the diplomats as well as Captain Kiel and his top officers to a banquet. It wasn't until about an hour after the captain and the rest had gone down that we learned something had gone wrong."

OOOOOOOOOO

"This rotation should alleviate the personnel problem. The scheduling conflicts the old one created have been hard on the crew," Davies pointed out.

"Yes," Maktin nodded. "This should work nicely. Good job, ensign. I'll run it by Cmdr. Hanil later." Further discussion was interrupted by a call from the bridge. The security chief nodded and headed up, leaving Davies to return to his post.

Only a few minutes had passed when the security chief contacted him to report to the transporter room. He and several other security officers arrived just in time for a briefing along with the CMO and one of his nurses.

"Something's gone wrong at the banquet," Maktin began without preamble. "The Zafien called us to report that their guests were behaving in a way the translator insists on rendering as 'squirrelly.'"

They had all traded looks at that but rushed to the platform. "I don't know what we'll find down there, so be careful. The safe retrieval of our people is the top priority, but avoid engaging the Zafien unless there's no option." Davies doubted the Zafien would have called them if they were behind the problem, but he couldn't be sure of anything so held his peace as the transporter took hold.

They were met at the capitol building's transportation hub by a fussy little male Zafien that gestured them to follow without explanation. "Can you give us an idea of the situation?" Maktin asked after a moment.

"I..I'm not sure what is happening. The Humans seemed to be enjoying the meal and the entertainment, but then they began to speak louder and behave in strange ways. When I left, the diplomats were trying to organize some sort of game involving Eshil fruit and a stick procured from somewhere. I'm not sure where." That seemed to worry him for some reason.

"We'll sort it out," Maktin assured him. He glanced at the doctor. "Any ideas?"

"Not until I examine them," the man shook his head. "My department cleared all of the foods served at the banquet as safe. Were there any last minute substitutions or additions?"

"Not to my knowledge," the Zafien official answered. "There were strict instructions to follow the approved menu. No one wanted to risk accidentally poisoning our guests."

"Good to know," the doctor nodded. "I hope we can rule out the food, but I won't know till I run some tests."

Any further discussion was interrupted by their arrival at the banquet hall. The Zafien official pushed open the door and the security and medical teams followed him in. They were met by a truly bizarre sight. Several of the Federation diplomats had organized a baseball game using local foodstuffs as balls. At least, it seemed to follow the basic pattern of a baseball game. As they watched, one of the legal specialists assigned to the mission threw what looked like some kind of pastry at a man holding what looked like a pole designed for a flag or banner.

The batter swung, scattering chunks of pastry and drops of cream everywhere. He then dropped the bat and proceeded to run around the banquet table. The other players and a few of the Zafien cheered his athleticism.

"I'm gonna go with 'what the hell?'" Griffith muttered under his breath. Davies glanced at his fellow security officer and shrugged.

"Minister Silla," their guide addressed another Zafien standing near the door, "what is going on?"

"Not sure," the other answered. "Any attempt to interfere makes them pelt us with food and call us 'party poopers' whatever that is. At this point, we're just enjoying the show."

And it was quite a show. The pitcher picked up a particularly juicy looking fruit and tossed it in his hand as he addressed the crowd. "It's the bottom of the seventh and Wickham's up to bat."

"I thought it was the top of the third," another player called.

"Are we playing the same game?" asked a diplomatic aide Davies slightly knew. She was holding a wall decoration that bore a passing resemblance to a tennis racquet.

"Who cares!" the pitcher shouted and hurled the fruit at her. She met it with a perfect backhand and then dropped the racquet and started to run the bases.

"Spread out and try to contain them," Maktin ordered. He took two men and headed for the game.

"You might want to avoid that one," Silla pointed to Captain Kiel. "He seems in a foul temper."

"Not it," Griffith called and headed toward the ship's science officer who was having an animated discussion on temporal mechanics with a potted plant.

Davies scowled after him for a moment and squaring his shoulders, went to confront the captain, who had a glass of something in each hand and glowered at a Zafien servant with a pitcher every time it looked like that unfortunate might make a break for it. As he approached his captain, he noticed the doctor who was examining ambassador Singh. The ambassador was lying unconscious on the floor, being examined by a female Zafien with a scanner of some sort.

"What happened?" the doctor asked.

"He made several attempts to walk up the wall and finally managed to knock himself out," the Zafien medic responded. "His vitals are stable, but I really have no idea what is normal for his species."

Seeing ambassador Singh in good hands, Davies approached the captain. "Sir?"

Kiel glanced over at him somewhat blearily. "What?"

"You're needed aboard the _Horatio_, sir," he quickly lied.

"Let Duffy handle it," he snorted. "I'm busy." He drained one of his glasses and held it out for a refill while draining the other.

"I'm told its Captain's eyes only," Davies improvised.

"Are you trying to tell me my job?" Kiel rounded on him, glaring.

"Uh, no sir. I'm just conveying a message. I was told to deliver it to you personally, no comms."

"So you deliver it in a room full of aliens with no clearance. Nice job." The sarcasm was tangible.

"I don't know the details, sir. Just that you need to return to the ship."

"Don't give me orders, ensign," Kiel almost growled. He poked Davies in the chest and began backing him up, swaying slightly, Davies noted, as he did so. He began to lecture on knowing a person's place and responsibility and who was and wasn't in charge, but his slurred speech and the fact that he repeated himself several times diminished the effect. Not once during the rant did he stop poking Davies with his finger. Clearly the captain wasn't in any condition to reason and in no mood to cooperate with Davies' plan to quietly remove him. It would have been so much simpler if they could simply beam their people out of the building, but there was a transporter inhibitor set up around all government buildings on the planet. While it was a reasonable security precaution, it was, at the moment, damn inconvenient.

The captain interrupted his rant to take a drink, only to discover there was nothing left in either cup. Looking around, he discovered that the Zafien servant had fled. With a muttered curse, he tossed the cups at the table, missing by a fair margin. "Oh, well. I'm hungry anyway." He chose a bowl of something with the consistency of flan at random and began to eat.

"Sir," Davies tried again. The captain, who was visibly swaying on his feet, responded to the interruption by filling the bowl of the spoon and throwing it in the security officer's face. Davies had always hated dealing with drunks. It usually got messy in one way or another. Reason rarely worked, they were often absurdly erratic and depending on the species, they could be very dangerous. He felt his temper fraying.

"Very mature, sir," Davies scowled, starting to lose his patience. "Do those pips on your shoulder indicate your age?"

Kiel responded to the comment by throwing the whole bowl at him. Davies twisted at the waist and dodged the bowl, but the captain was really angry at this new development. "I was enjoying that!" He took a swing at Davies and wound up stumbling by without coming close.

"Wonderful," Davies muttered. He didn't know what had put the captain in this condition, but it almost didn't matter. The older man was out of control and needed to be taken in hand. _Hope he doesn't court-martial me for this_. Trying to be firm but gentle, he took the captain's arm in a 'come-along' grip and tried to guide him out, while speaking calmly and trying to get him to at least not make too much fuss. A glance around, showed the others had their hands full.

The ambassador was gone, probably carried out on a stretcher to be beamed up. The science officer was gone as well, but the ball players were putting up a fight using whatever foodstuffs came to hand. Realizing he'd get no assistance, he turned back to the captain in time to receive a right cross to the chin. Staggering back slightly, he set himself for another blow, but the captain had turned back toward the banquet table. Davies stared in disbelief as Kiel chose another dish at random and started to eat.

"Captain," Davies began, trying to hold onto his patience. "You must return to the ship. You are needed there."

"What did I tell you about giving me orders?" Kiel turned suddenly and began poking him in the chest again as he lectured. Unfortunately, he used the hand that was holding the spoon he was eating with. Unlike the spoons either were used to, however, this one came to a point, the better for digging in to the food the Zafien favored. On the second poke, the point broke the skin and slid between his ribs roughly two inches.

Davies blinked in surprise before the pain hit him. He responded with a right cross that laid the captain out.

"Ensign Davies!" Maktin shouted from across the hall, "What do you think you're doing?" Davies managed to turn and Maktin's reprimand ended before it could begin.

OOOOOOOOO

"Eventually, medical got the blame," Davies shrugged. "While nothing at the banquet was dangerous by itself, they hadn't taken into account the chemical reaction that occurred between one of the sauces and a particular spice. For the Zafien, it creates a mild euphoria. For humans, it acts on the system like alcohol and causes hallucinations to boot. The Zafien had no idea it would affect their guests that way."

"Something like that would be hard to catch," Riker allowed. "I'm guessing a few procedures got reviewed after that."

"Probably," Davies shrugged, not really knowing or caring. "I spent a couple of days in sickbay along with some very embarrassed diplomats and Starfleet officers. No one really wanted to dwell on what they'd done while under the influence. All the captain said about me punching him was that I should have done that in the first place."


	12. CONFRONTATIONS

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 12 CONFRONTATIONS

Martin Taliaferro hummed an old ballad quietly to himself as he replaced the damaged circuits. His notion for increasing shield power had been sound, they had all agreed on that, but the circuits couldn't handle the extra load. Cmdr. LaForge claimed he could design a new component that would handle it, but for the moment, they just needed to get the shields up and functioning. Perhaps, he mused, it hadn't been the best time to test his theory, as they were headed into potentially hostile territory. The captain had been less than pleased.

"And done," he said, closing the access hatch and turning toward engineering. "Taliferro to engineering. Repairs complete."

"Running diagnostic now," Lt. Bingham replied. "Everything looks good."

"Naturally," Martin responded. "Back in five." He closed up his tool box and headed back toward main engineering. It wouldn't be long before the _Enterprise_ would need all of the upgrades and improvements he and the rest of the engineering crew could make. Their first meeting with the Skreelii had taught them a lot about their tech and their tactics. He just hoped it would be enough.

OOOOOOOOOO

Deborah Chambers switched off the dermal regenerator. "That should do it. Just be more careful in the future." The ensign she was treating nodded and left sickbay just as Dr. Crusher returned.

"Everything is as ready as it can get," she sighed. "Any problems here?"

"Couple of minor injuries," Chambers reported. "I was able to catch up on the backlog of medical files. Aside from that? It's been quiet."

"Good to hear." Dr. Crusher headed for her office and left Deborah to her work. The preparations for the confrontation with the Skreelii, which for safety's sake was being considered inevitable, had all the departments working overtime. They could keep the Skreelii out, engineering was certain. The modulated subspace field worked as well as LaForge had hoped. Computer security had been improved dramatically, thanks to their newfound understanding of Skreelii computer technology.

Their understanding of Skreelii physiology offered them several non-violent alternatives if the aliens did find a way on board. The standard sedative that had been used to such good effect in the past was useless against the Skreelii. Tests indicated it didn't put them to sleep. In fact, it seemed to only cause a mild itching if the tests on the Skreelii dead were any indication. After some experimentation, the medical staff had devised a sleep agent that would work and could be administered in gaseous form. Should the Skreelii board, it would be possible to seal them up in whatever section they penetrated and put them to sleep.

The prisoners themselves had proved indirectly useful. Every word or phrase recorded was fed to the universal translator for evaluation. This had eventually allowed them to decipher the Skreelii language. They were as ready for a fight as they were going to be.

Contact and communication with Hessa's people, however, remained problematic. While she and Aela could communicate with Hessa well enough, only a few others, none of them linguists, had made progress on that front. Fortunately, Aela and Deborah were really all that was needed for this mission. Federation experts could work on a more effective means of communication that everyone could use later.

Her musings were interrupted by the arrival of her sisters. She smiled at the sight, but then realized that Hessa wasn't radiating any feelings. "What happened?" she asked, instantly concerned. Hessa, she realized, was tightly controlling her projections so as not to share what she was feeling. She only did that when she was feeling particularly miserable.

"Lunch," Aela said succinctly. As she was in contact with Hessa, she couldn't help but feel some of what the serpent-like alien was feeling. She deposited her sister gently on the bio-bed and stepped back.

Deborah sighed. "And what did she eat? She asks preparing to suppress her gag reflex?"

Hessa turned one of her eyes toward Aela who, after a moment, nodded and stuck her tongue out at Deborah. The doctor gave her a curious look.

"She's not equipped to do that, so she asked me to," Aela explained. Elise laughed from across the room where she was stocking emergency supplies. Deborah just rolled her eyes.

"So, what did she eat?"

"Ferengi tube grubs," she said. As Deborah was about to express her confusion over why that would make Hessa ill, Aela finished, "with melted pepper-jack cheese and chocolate sprinkles. Then she giggled as her sister winced.

"Right," Deborah sighed ruefully, letting her sisters have their little joke. "I'm detecting a pattern here. The last two times something disagreed with you, chocolate has been involved. Could be you're allergic to it. I can run a test, but it's hard to tell with your physiology. I'd advise avoiding chocolate in the future." She considered the emotions and impressions coming off Hessa. "That's not going to happen, is it?"

"Probably not," Aela observed.

"Fine," Deborah sighed. She knew a lost cause when she saw it. She picked up a hypo-spray and selected something to soothe Hessa's upset tummy. "Here you go."

Shortly after the two had left, Dr. Crusher emerged from her office. "Emergency meeting of the senior staff," she explained on the way out. "Hold down the fort."

"I'll try not to burn the place down," Deborah nodded absently, already absorbed in her work again. Elise glanced around, doubting that the CMO had heard that and doubting Dr. Chambers would even notice the absence.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Long range sensors have picked up what we think are Skreelii ships on our current heading," Picard announced. "I need to know the current state of our readiness."

"Medical is as ready as it can be," Dr. Crusher reported when the captain looked to her. "All supplies are in place and double-checked, all of the equipment is fully operational and properly calibrated, and I've drilled my teams on emergency procedure till they can do it in their sleep."

Picard nodded and looked to Worf.

"We are ready, sir. The new protocols are in place. We can seal off any section of the ship within four seconds. The subspace echo the technology produces gives us more warning than that. Teams will be stationed at strategic points around the ship and doubled up on key areas such as engineering."

"Good. Geordi?" Picard turned to his chief engineer.

"We've fine-tuned the sensors to give us as much warning of their transporter as possible. We should also be able to see through their cloaking technology easily now. As Worf said, we can seal off the section they're trying to transport into as soon as we detect the subspace echo. They won't be able to surprise us again. We've also set up a rotating shield frequency, much as we used with the Borg. The Skreelii weapons should be much less effective, and it will take them longer to find a frequency that will penetrate our shields."

"Counselor?" Picard turned to Troi. "How is the crew?"

"Some are more eager for a confrontation than others, but all are ready."

"I would expect some anger toward the Skreelii over what they'd done. Any potential trouble spots?"

"No, sir. Some may hope it comes to a fight more than others, but there will be no rash actions."

"Good." He looked back to Geordi. "Have we been able to find the survey vessel?"

"Not yet, sir," Geordi shook his head. "It's small and of an unfamiliar construction and drive type. It will take time to search so much space. We've asked Hessa about her people's technology, but she doesn't know all that much. The very idea of warp drive seemed to baffle her. They may use something entirely different. Since we weren't able to examine her ship, we don't have any specific materials or power signature to scan for."

"With just a general heading, and an educated guess based on the travel time between the worlds Hessa visited to go by, our chances would seem small," Picard admitted, looking at each of his crew in turn, "but I have faith in this crew's inventiveness. What about communication once we do find the ship?"

"I'm afraid we've hit a wall there, captain," Troi sighed. "Our best linguists have tried with only limited success. It simply isn't a method of communication we have encountered before. The Vulcan's aboard are made uncomfortable by the integral part emotion plays in this species' communication. I've tried repeatedly, but I just can't get the knack for it. Doctor Chambers, Aela, and Hessa herself remain our best chance. Their understanding of each other seems almost instinctual."

"I'd like to have options, but those three seem our best hope at the moment." He looked around the table. "Any additional thoughts or ideas?" He was met with silence. "Very well. Return to work. I suspect we will be going to yellow alert soon."

The command crew stood and headed back to their stations while Picard considered what he'd been told and considered various courses of action. Sadly, nothing really suggested a better plan than the one they already had.

Hessa's range was limited. She couldn't communicate with one of her people over long distances; they used technology for that just as the Federation did. That left them relying on luck more than he liked.

With no better options, he called up the information available on their current problems and began reviewing it, looking for some new approach. He was still at it when the ship went to yellow alert.

He emerged onto the bridge a few seconds later. "Report."

"Three Skreelii ships on an intercept course," Riker reported. "They're cloaked, so it is unlikely that they know we're aware of them."

"Any sign of another ship like Hessa's?"

"No. Not yet."

"Status of the Skreelii ships?"

"Impossible to say without directing an intensive scan directly at them, sir," Worf answered. "All I can determine at this point is course and speed."

"Let them get closer," Riker advised. "We don't want to give away too much."

Picard nodded. "Agreed. How long to intercept?"

"At their current rate, 32 minutes. The ships are spreading out slightly, perhaps preparing to flank us."

"Let's say hello," Picard decided. "See if we can't start on a positive note. Hail the Skreelii ships."

Worf sent the standard greeting in all languages, which now included the Skreelii's own. "There is no response."

"Open a channel. I'll speak to them directly," Picard said, standing and stepping toward the view screen.

"Channel open," Worf reported.

"Skreelii vessels. This is the Federation Starship _Enterprise_. We are aware of your presence, and we mean you no harm. Our mission is one of peaceful contact. Please respond."

There was no image, only audio. A hissing, growling voice answered. "Other! Do not belong! This is our place."

"It is not our intention to claim this space," Picard assured them. "Our mission is to establish peaceful contact with other races."

"We desire no contact with you."

"That is your right; however, several weeks ago, a Skreelii ship attacked my vessel. They failed, and we captured 19 of the crew. We are prepared to return them if-."

"Unclean meat," the Skreelii snapped. "Contaminated by other. We want nothing of them and nothing from you. Leave our space or die."

Picard took a second to consider the alien's words. Contamination by other? He set it aside and pressed on. "Would you be willing to set a border with the Federation? To prevent further unintentional intrusions?"

"Enter our space," the voice hissed menacingly, "and you will know."

"They've broken off communications," Worf reported.

"Friendly bunch," Riker snorted.

"These Skreelii seem to claim anything that falls under their eyes," the Klingon growled.

"Indeed," Picard nodded as he returned to his seat. "Impressions, Counselor?"

"I can't read much from them beyond their hostility," she admitted. "They referred to their captured people as 'unclean' and 'contaminated' which suggests they think that association with other species damages them in some way. They are clearly xenophobic, convinced of their own natural superiority and desperate to avoid anything that might upset that view."

"Thus their willingness to abandon members of their own race that have spent time among aliens." He frowned at the notion. "Recommendations?"

Troi shook her head. "You're not going to change their minds, captain. This is most likely ingrained in them. Withdrawal is the only way to avoid a fight."

"But we can't do that until we find that ship," Picard looked toward the screen and the oncoming Skreelii ships. "I doubt anything I could say to them would make a difference at this point." He stood. "Still, I have to try. Open a channel." When Worf indicated it was done, he spoke. "We will leave the area, as you requested, after we have completed our current mission. It does not involve you and poses no threat to your people. Interfere and we will defend ourselves." He nodded to Worf, who closed the channel.

"What are our friends out there doing?" Riker asked after a moment.

"The Skreelii ships are maintaining course and speed," Worf reported. "They seem intent on a fight."

"Time to intercept?" Riker asked.

"Twenty-six minutes, thirty seconds." Worf frowned at the display. "By the way they are maneuvering, they are planning to surround us and fire from several angles."

"Set a new heading," Picard ordered. He rattled off a course and speed. "Any sign of the ship we're looking for?"

"Not yet, sir," Data responded. "Based on course and speed information, the ship should be within this general area."

"Re-establish our search pattern, but maintain yellow-alert and keep an eye on the Skreelii. They obviously aren't going to let us go about our business."

That proved true enough, as the Skreelii immediately altered course to intercept, but it appeared that the _Enterprise'_ lack of concern and its ability to detect the ships while cloaked had made them wary.

"The Skreelii have intensified long-range scans of us," Worf reported.

"Let them look all they want," Riker shrugged. "As long as that's all they do." They maintained their search pattern for another half-hour with the Skreelii watching closely, but maintaining a distance, before Data reported a contact.

"I have something," the android reported. "A cloaked Skreelii ship near the edge of our sensor range. It is moving into the search area at high speed. They may be tracking something."

"Can you tell what?" Picard asked.

"Not at this range, sir."

Picard considered for only a second before making his decision. "Set a course and speed to cut off that ship. I want to know what they're so interested in."

"Aye, sir," Ensign Pirelli at the helm answered. "Course laid in."

"Engage."

The _Enterprise_ leapt forward at warp 8, leaving three surprised Skreelii ships in the proverbial dust. They quickly recovered, though, and set out after the Federation ship at their top speed.

"The Skreelii ships are following us," Worf reported. "I believe we are at or near their top speed. They are falling behind."

"Time to reach the other Skreelii ship?" Riker asked.

"At this speed, 26 minutes, commander," Data supplied. "As yet, I see no signs of the survey vessel."

Picard nodded, and then tapped his comm badge. "Picard to Dr. Chambers."

"Chambers here."

"We hope to find the survey vessel soon. I want you and your sisters standing by."

"We'll be ready, captain. Hessa is with me now and is kind of anxious."

"Understandable. We'll do our best. Picard, out." He glanced at Data. "Search along that ship's projected course," Picard told Data. "I believe we'll find what we're looking for there." The minutes seemed to creep by. The _Enterprise_ might have been faster than the Skreelii ships, but it couldn't outrun the warning that the three vessels sent ahead. The Skreelii ship slowed and turned to meet them.

"It's getting a bit crowded for my tastes," Riker commented.

"We'll be able to leave them behind as soon as we find what we're looking for," Picard responded, having noted that the three ships behind them seemed to be straining their engines to keep up.

Riker nodded, a frown of concentration on his face, and began to tap commands on a padd. "All stations report ready," he said after a moment. "Sensors are working at maximum efficiency. "We're ready to fight or run as needed. Our current course will take us within range of the fourth ship's transporters."

Picard nodded. "Yes. Little choice, though." He glanced up. "Mr. Pirelli. Adjust cou-"

"I have something," Data interrupted. "An unidentified object moving at trans-light speed on the same course the fourth Skreelii ship was on. It is moving at approximately warp four."

"Trans-light speed?" Riker asked.

"There is no warp signature, but it is moving at faster-than-light speeds," Data explained.

"Alter course to intercept," Picard ordered. He glanced at Riker. "Get the sisters to the Bridge."

While Riker summoned them, Picard watched the screen, keeping track of the Skreelii vessels and their distance from the _Enterprise_. "Mr. Worf, if we are right about the range of their transporters, we may have guests any minute now."

"We are ready, sir," the Klingon reported confidently. Picard silently counted seconds, hoping they were right about the range and that they were as ready for boarders as his chief of security believed. It was only a moment later that the lieutenant's console beeped. "Subsapce transport incoming. They are attempting," he manipulated the controls, "to beam into engineering."

"To slow us down, no doubt," Picard nodded. It wasn't entirely unexpected. "Are counter-measures working?"

"Yes sir," Worf nodded. "The modulated subspace field is operating properly. Their attempt to board has failed. Their boarding party… materialized in our wake."

Picard winced at that, but had no time to think on that. "Time to intercept the object?"

"Two minutes, thirty seconds, sir," Data reported.

The doors to the Bridge opened, and Doctor Chambers stepped out of the turbo-lift with Aela and Hessa in tow. Picard rose and nodded to the three, indicating they should take a position out of the way and await developments. "Give us a visual on the object, Mr. Data."

The view screen shifted to reveal an oblong piece of crystal moving away from them at what appeared to be its best speed. They were gaining rapidly. "That's it!" Aela cried. "That's the ship."

"Match speeds. Bring us close. Mr. Worf, hail that vessel," Picard ordered.

"Hailing frequencies open, sir." He waited while the Enterprise slowed and came alongside the alien ship. "No response."

"Hessa can feel the pilot," Chambers reported. "He's scared. We need to reassure him."

"Do what you can," Picard ordered. "For the moment, actions will have to speak louder than words." He looked to Ensign Pirelli. "Helm, bring us in close. Mr. Worf, extend our shields around the survey vessel."

The sisters went into a huddle, silently communicating with Hessa, suggesting and discarding ideas. After a moment, Deborah tapped her comm badge. "Chambers to Miss Nguyen."

A distracted answer came back a moment later. "Nguyen, here. Are Aela and Hessa with you?"

"They are, and we could use your help."

"I'm a bit busy with the other children at the moment," she answered.

"That's what I was hoping. We've found one of Hessa's people and are trying to rescue him. He's too frightened, though. You know how Hessa's people are telepathic? We need you to organize the kids. Give them something to focus on besides the Skreelii."

"What do you want me to do?" the teacher asked.

"Get them to think about Hessa and her people. Think about them safe and protected. Think about wanting to help them."

"That will help?" she asked dubiously.

"It won't hurt," Deborah shrugged, "and Hessa doesn't have any better ideas."

"It's a sound idea," Counselor Troi said from behind her. "Most of the crew are too tense and focused on their duty to help with that, at the moment, but we can organize those who aren't."

Deborah nodded. "Do what you can, please." Troi moved off to get started. Deborah, Aela, and Hessa concentrated on contacting the pilot.

"I do not believe the ship would stand up to a tractor beam, sir," Data reported. "The best option is to bring it on board."

"I don't think the pilot is going to be overly cooperative," Riker commented, as Ensign Pirelli clapped his hands to his eyes and let out a strangled gasp. Riker was on his feet and by the young man's side in a second. "Ensign?"

"I-I can't… It's moving! Wh-what?"

"What's moving? Ensign, look at me, concentrate." He could see the young man was confused and terrified and was trying to figure out how to help when a three winged reptile dove at him and he found himself dropping and rolling out of the way. He sat up next to Data's station and shook his head. "What the hell?"

"It's the pilot," Deborah said, coming to help him up. "He's trying to distract us and frighten us into backing off. It's how Hessa's people defend themselves."

"We're trying to help him," Riker groused.

"Then concentrate on that," she suggested. "Concentrate on wanting to help him." She turned to the captain. "Everyone needs to do that. I've tried organizing the children who know Hessa, but it doesn't seem to be enough, and Hessa can't get through to him." She shook her head. "I can't really explain it… We're not… loud enough?" She glanced at Hessa, and after a moment, she shrugged helplessly. The ship chose that moment to shudder.

"Mr. Worf?"

"The Skreelii ship has closed to within weapon's range." The ship shuddered again. "They are targeting the nacelles. Shields down eight percent, but the shield modifications are working. No dam-." He suddenly whirled and lashed out at nothing with a fierce growl.

"Mr. Worf," Picard called, sharply.

The Klingon paused and looked around in confusion. "Apologies, sir." He turned back to his station.

"No need. Now please return fire and target the Skreelii weapons and engines."

"Aye, sir. Firing phasers, now." He aimed and fired. "No significant damage," he reported as the Skreelii fired again.

"Fire a spread of photon torpedoes."

"Firing, sir." Three torpedoes sped across the rapidly shrinking distance, striking and detonating against the Skreelii shields. The vessel was knocked out of warp and tumbled briefly before exploding as its warp core breached. Worf gave a grunt of satisfaction, before checking on the other Skreelii ships. They were too far away to pose any immediate threat. Checking damage and internal security reports, he noted that repairs were underway for minor damage and that the pilot's efforts were being felt sporadically across the ship. He reported all this to the captain.

"We need to get his attention," Riker said, "calm him down. Thinking happy thoughts doesn't seem to be working."

"Sir," Worf offered. "Perhaps employing the pilot's tactics against him will be effective."

"Are you suggesting Hessa attack the pilot?" Chambers asked, and the disapproval of that idea radiated almost as strongly from her as it did from Hessa.

"He isn't doing any real harm," Worf argued, before the captain could speak. "Attacking him, just to get his attention, would prove to him that one of his own kind is on board. Perhaps, then, he would listen."

Chambers frowned, but glanced at Hessa. "Maybe he just needs a good slap to calm him down?"

Hessa seemed to stew over that for a moment, still not liking the idea. It was not something her people did to each other. It was strictly a defense against predators. She could feel the distress he was causing for the crew, though. She reached out to the pilot again, trying to reassure him. No good. Too far away for an actual conversation. Firming her resolve, she reached out and, as her Human sister had put it, 'slapped' him. The range was a bit much, but she managed to get his attention.

The attacks stopped, and Hessa began trying to reassure him, telling him that they were among friends. The pilot was dubious at first. After having run into the Skreelii, she couldn't really blame him. It was hard to convey to others exactly how vile the aliens felt to her senses. The bigotry and xenophobia were not merely unpleasant but near unbearable, which was why she had been careful to steer well clear of them while they'd been on board.

"Doctor?" Captain Picard asked.

"Sorry, sir. I can't follow the conversation. Hessa makes a lot of allowances for us."

Picard nodded and looked to Worf. "Where are the other Skreelii ships?"

"Closing fast, sir. We cannot linger here if we wish to avoid a fight."

"Doctor?" The captain turned to face the three huddled on the deck, out of the way of foot traffic. "Time is becoming a factor."

"Yes, sir. I think Hessa's convinced him to come aboard." She sat down on the deck next to Hessa, and looked at her sister inquiringly. Hessa glanced at her and nodded. "Open the shuttle bay. We're going to have a guest."

It took a few minutes for the small craft to work its way to the shuttle bay and enter. As soon as it was safely inside, the _Enterprise_ jumped to warp nine; leaving the Skreelii far behind. "You have the Bridge, number one." He looked to the sisters. "Shall we go greet our guest?"

OOOOOOOOOO

The ship looked like an oblong hunk of rock crystal, roughly half the size of a shuttlecraft. As they approached, Hessa leading the way, a section of the crystal peeled away, rather like a flower petal opening, to reveal a hatch. A startlingly pink version of Hessa emerged slowly onto the deck of the bay. The two Humans and the Vatai looked back and forth between the two. Hessa's plumage was a dark red, and the contrast between the two as they came together, coiling and slithering around each other as they talked, made for an interesting sight.

The three waited curiously until the two untangled themselves and moved toward them. The stranger projected regret and gratitude.

The captain nodded. "Apology accepted. I hope Hessa has been able to reassure you."

A feeling of agreement washed over him, followed by a series of images and impressions at roughly half the speed he'd been using while conversing with Hessa.

"Is that your name?" Picard asked curiously. The pink alien gave an exaggerated nod.

"Can't pronounce that either," Aela sighed, getting a confused feeling from the pilot and resigned amusement from Hessa. Aela smiled and dropped to the deck, sitting cross-legged. "I didn't mean to tease. I gave Hessa her name because I couldn't manage how she thinks of herself."

The pilot nodded and projected approval and curiosity. Aela thought for a moment, looking at him intently. "Sakura," she said after a moment.

"Sakura?" Picard asked curiously.

"Ms. Nguyen took us on a field trip on the holodeck, to a place called Japan. There were trees there with really pretty flowers, about the same shade as he is."

"I think it's a fine name," Deborah said. "I've always liked those flowers myself."

"Indeed," Picard smiled. "If it meets with your approval?" He glanced at the newly named Sakura and watched as the alien seemed to taste the name and roll it around in his mouth. That was the impression the captain gained at any rate.

Sakura nodded, with more confidence as he got used to the gesture, and projected acceptance.

"Very good, then," Picard nodded. "Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_, Sakura. We have much to discuss."


	13. Sakura's Tale

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 13 SAKURA'S TALE

Hessa and Sakura spent several hours together, sharing all they'd learned and comparing notes. Aela and Deborah kept their distance, as the conversation was too fast and complicated for either of them to follow. They knew this could likely mean the end of their time with Hessa, but they tried to feel happy for their sister. It astounded Deborah how close the three had gotten in such a short time, but some things, like the welfare of a planet full of people, were more important.

Aela told herself it was too soon to be sad and thinking about goodbyes, but it didn't help much. She didn't want to distract Hessa, though, so she made herself scarce for a while, and found her way to the arboretum where several of the crew were enjoying the trees and plants in a decidedly parklike environment. It amazed Aela that such a place would exist aboard a starship, but had come to expect seeming miracles from these Federation aliens.

Wandering among the trees, she found herself drifting toward the sound of someone humming. The tune was unfamiliar, but it was lively cheerful, and she grew curious. Moving around one last tree, she found Ensign Martin Taliaferro with his back against the trunk, tapping away at a Padd. The display showed what she thought might be a circuit design. ""Hey, little one," he smiled up at her. "What brings you here?"

"Hessa and Sakura are talking…. I gave them some space."

Martin nodded. "Worried about her leaving?" She hesitated only a moment before nodding. "You do know that the Federation will be needing people who can talk to our new friends? I imagine that you and Dr. Chambers will be asked to stick with Hessa for a while yet."

"I hadn't thought of that," Aela admitted, brightening. "They'll probably send specialists, though." The smile faded a bit.

"That'll take time," Martin pointed out. "A lot to do till then, and even those specialists may not have much luck. The ones here haven't." He smiled at her as she sat down beside him at his invitation. "Don't worry about it till you have to. Close as you three have gotten? I don't think you'll need to worry about Hessa rushin' off and leaving you."

"That makes sense," Aela nodded after a moment's thought. "What are you working on?" she asked for a change of topic.

"Circuit for my new invention."

"What's it do?"

"It flies," he smiled proudly, earning a puzzled look from Aela.

"Um…?"

He chuckled. "Not like other things fly. Not like the ship or the shuttles or even old fashioned atmospheric crafts used three hundred years ago. I'm building a working, heavier-than-air ornithopter people can ride in."

"Ornithopter?" she said slowly, sounding out the unfamiliar word. "That doesn't translate."

"Probably 'cause the Vatae are more sensible than Humans," Martin said off-handedly, earning a giggle from Aela. He was about to explain the idea when his comm badge beeped. "Taliaferro, here."

"Ensign, we could use you in engineering," LaForge's voice came over the channel.

"On my way, sir. Taliaferro, out." He climbed to his feet. "Later, little one."

Aela watched him go, and thought for a moment before deciding the erratic Human did have one good idea. Stretching her legs out, she leaned back against the tree, and began humming softly to herself.

OOOOOOOOOO

Hessa let the memories flow over her, taking in the details of events and emotions as best she could. It was not always easy. Even second hand, Sakura's journey had not been a pleasant one.

It had been similar to Hessa's, up to a point. The star systems on his list had all proven to be unsuitable for one reason or another. The first had no habitable planets, the second contained one, but it was already occupied by a primitive civilization. The others had proven to be unsuitable for similar reasons.

The most disturbing had been the fifth on his list. There was evidence that there had been a thriving civilization there once. There were primitive machines in the system, unlike anything he'd seen before. Some were simple devices built to specific functions, like the sky-eyes his own people built in order to watch the stars and track the movement of ships. Others were, or had been, vessels carrying living crews. Most of both types of machine were in pieces. There were quite a few orbiting around the second planet in the system. A brief scan showed it to be a radioactive wasteland. More still were found in an asteroid belt that he felt certain had once been the system's fifth planet. Sakura left the system quickly, not understanding or wishing to understand what had happened there.

His journey had been frustrating but uneventful, until he had entered the seventh system on his list. The second planet of the system was very like home, his ship's sensor's told him, if a bit warm. It had a breathable atmosphere, a good supply of water, and the plant-life was abundant. He had taken the ship into orbit, searching for signs of intelligent life. None were in evidence from orbit, so he went closer to the surface, sampling the air, the ambient radiation, and a number of other factors. The world looked promising until the alien ship appeared, rising out of the jungle. It moved towards his small craft and into range of his natural senses.

Sakura had been startled but not alarmed at the first sight of the vessel. The People knew that other races existed, and he had been trained in contact protocol, as had all of the survey mission pilots. He was prepared, he believed, to speak to them, and if necessary, leave and continue his search. All of that training abandoned him when he reached out curiously to touch their minds.

The sheer aggression radiating from the creatures aboard that vessel had been a shock that he'd barely recovered from in time to avoid their weapon's fire. Their hatred for all that was Other drove him to flee, pushing his small ship to its design limits.

The scout vessel was smaller, unarmed, and not as fast as the alien ship in the atmosphere, but it was more maneuverable. Sakura used this to slip away, first into a series of canyons that were made all the harder to navigate for the thick vegetation. That same vegetation, though, provided him with much needed cover.

He was used to navigating through such terrain, as it wasn't that different from the part of the home world where he'd grown up. The alien ship was too large to follow him into the canyons, but it was able to fly above them, tracking his position. He'd been in similar situations back home, being chased by one of his world's flying predators. They were fast, but they were too large to penetrate far into the canopy Sakura used for cover. Similar evasive tactics served him well with the aliens.

The only other advantage he had over them was that he did not require technology to track them. No active or passive sensors were needed. He could _feel_ them. It wasn't pleasant, but it was necessary, as the first time he'd tried an active scan of the ship with ordinary sensors, they had used it to target his position, and he'd barely avoided being shot out of the sky.

He was forced to use this technique to avoid being targeted. They seemed to have trouble tracking him unless he gave himself away. Sakura wasn't sure why and didn't particularly care at the time, as it allowed him to gradually increase the distance between himself and his pursuers, but it took time. He was patient, though, or as patient as he could be. In the wilds where he'd grown up, predators were abundant. Evading them took patience, wit, and good reflexes. He learned early how to detect, evade, and when necessary, discourage them.

He was reluctant to try discouraging the aliens in a similar fashion. The predators back home had never felt like this. Whatever the aliens hunting him were, they weren't hungry. They weren't protecting their young or their territory. They hated all that was different, and even fleeting contact with their minds sickened him, but it did more. Whatever the creatures were, they terrified him. They were vile and hateful and unlike anything he'd ever felt. This fear drove him to take extreme risks in the canyons to put distance between himself and them.

Navigating the maze of canyons at what most would consider an insane speed, he pulled away gradually. When he could no longer feel their presence quite so acutely; he made for space at best speed. It was a near miss, but he got clear of the planet.

Activating the ship's FTL, he leaped off on a randomly chosen heading, and he began to calm slightly. He was out of range and could no longer feel them, but it still unnerved him to even think that there were such creatures in the universe. He knew that he could not bring the People anywhere near this part of space. The…whatever they were, would exterminate the people like vermin, merely for being Other. The thought filled him with dread. He must return home and warn the People of the threat, warn them they must seek in other directions, as far from those predators as they could.

His ruminations were interrupted by the predators themselves. It didn't take long for his sensors to detect a ship pursuing him. Worse. They were gaining on him.

Sakura quickly plotted a new FTL jump and prepared to implement it. Dropping out of FTL for the time it took to jump in another direction allowed the other ship to gain a bit, but he made it up in the time it took them to adjust course. The brief respite gave him time to think, and he decided where to go next. In the fifth system, there had been an extensive asteroid field, the result of a calamity he chose not to dwell on. He believed he might be able to lose them there. It was his best option, as that system was not on a direct course for home. He couldn't risk leading these creatures to the home world.

It took two days to reach the system. In that time, he discovered that his top speed was a rough match for theirs. For much of the time, he was able to stay out of the range of his natural senses, but when he could not, he was bombarded with their desires for his death, for the knowledge of his technology and his people, and of course with their irrational hatred. The pursuit would have been nerve-wracking without that. He did not understand these creatures, and trying only created stress he didn't need. Why would they pursue him? Why with such dogged persistence? No predator he'd encountered on the home world had acted like this. If a quarry proved too hard to catch, they would eventually seek easier prey elsewhere. These aliens were relentless.

After a seeming eternity, he reached the asteroid field and dove in. As predicted, the aliens did not follow him. Navigating the swarm of flying rocks was almost as nerve-wracking as the chase had been, as he had to slow to a relative crawl in some places. The explosions didn't help. The aliens had apparently been scanning the asteroid field and begun firing missiles into it as deep as they could reach to force him out.

He dove deeper. Navigating an asteroid field was not something he'd trained for, not something he imagined he'd ever have to do. Over the next few hours, Sakura lost count of the near misses. The hairpin turns, the sudden minor adjustments that left him nearly scraping his hull against jagged fragments of stone larger than his ship kept him focused despite a desperate need for sleep. Gradually, though, he worked his way to an area he mentally labeled a 'clearing.' Moving to the center of the area, so that the nearest fragment capable of damaging his ship was more than 70 kilometers away, he took the opportunity to relax slightly and stretch his natural senses for any sign of the aliens.

He could feel something at the edge of his range, and thought it was in the right direction. If he were honest with himself, though, after even a short time navigating through the field, he had no idea which direction he'd originally come from. His sole concern had been in moving away from his pursuers. Now, he had to turn his attention to getting out. Even in the clearing, he dared not rest for too long, let alone sleep. Picking a direction that would hopefully take him out of the field far from the aliens; he began the torturously slow process of leaving the field.

He had excelled in the technical aspects of his training. As an expert in the technology that made his species a space-faring race, he loved solving problems, loved working with the technology to find new ways of doing things. Most felt he was somewhat obsessive about it. It was that quality that got him into the program. He was considered somewhat antisocial.

That had never really bothered him until the training began. He considered the occasional isolation he endured while working to be a small price to pay for solving his people's most pressing problems. The training that 'cured' some of those who entered the program would have done the same for him, had he not been so fully aware of the scope of the problem, not to mention fascinated by the idea of other worlds and all the opportunities they offered to learn. At the moment, however, he was wishing he'd stayed in his lab.

Kilometer by kilometer, moment by unbearably tense moment, he made his way to the edge of the field. He could feel the alien crew at the edge of his awareness and found, to his dismay, that they were moving in his direction. With an effort, he forced down his rising panic and made himself think. He dared not make a run for it, not without creating a distraction.

The predators of his native wilds were very focused hunters, but they could be distracted with the proper use of images and emotions. He didn't know if it would work on the aliens or not, but there was little choice. He was exhausted, and he knew he wouldn't survive another trip through the asteroid field.

While waiting for the aliens, he prepared himself. As they were hunting him, they were most likely to respond to the sight of him fleeing, as most predators would. He knew he could project the appropriate image into their minds and make them believe he was running in one direction while he went in another, but their instruments were another matter. He couldn't fool their scanners. He had noticed they seemed to have trouble locating him with their scanners. He wasn't sure of the reason or if they could compensate, but there weren't a great many options. He would have to reach deeper into their minds to focus their aggression, their predatory instincts to the point they ignored their instruments. It wouldn't last long, but it was better than nothing.

The wait was almost unbearable. Finally, the ship came within his range, though, and he began his distraction. There was no visible indication that anything was happening at first, but he felt the attention of the pilot and control crew focus sharply. There was a momentary confusion, but he gave their hunting instincts and their hatred a nudge, a task that required him to look farther into their minds than he had ever wanted to. After a moment, the ship turned and shot off in the direction he'd chosen, going to FTL a moment later.

Sakura wasted no time. He exited the asteroid field, picked a random vector well away from the one the aliens had taken and jumped.

He didn't dare hope he'd escaped, not at first. Almost an hour crept by with no sign of pursuit. He altered course and spent another hour running in the new direction. He was beginning to hope he'd eluded the ship when his scanners detected it on an intercept course. A moment of studying the readings showed him that it was not the same ship. The first had called for help in its search.

There was no time to berate himself for that oversight. Picking a new vector, away from the pursuing ship, he jumped again. The crew of this new vessel proved just as persistent. To make matters worse, they had learned from the first ship. Evasive maneuvers were less effective, and they were slowly but steadily gaining ground. It didn't take long for the ship to come within range of his senses and he began trying to distract the crew. From what he could tell, it only made them angrier.

Changing course during FTL was not possible. At least, it wasn't supposed to be. There were, however, ways of cheating. It would take a little time to arrange, and he was honestly not sure he could pull it off in his current state, but he didn't see how things could get worse.

He was still making calculations, trying to concentrate through his fear and exhaustion, when things got worse. Another ship appeared on his scanners and started to approach. It did not look like either of the first two to chase him, but that meant nothing. The crew, he knew after he took the time to focus on their surface thoughts, were entirely on their mission, which was to intercept his ship. That did not bode well, in his opinion. When they entered range, he rallied what strength he had left and began using the same bag of tricks that had served him well so far against home world and alien predators.

It didn't stop the ship from gaining on him, but he could feel the confusion he was creating along with the rest. There were many minds on the new ship and the array of alien thoughts and emotions he could hear as a kind of dull white noise only served to confuse him until he shut it out. The command crew, the pilot especially, required his sole attention.

Harried from two sides, he lashed out at both while trying to coax more speed out of his ship and perform evasive maneuvers. It was beyond overwhelming, but the pressure suddenly lessened when the new arrival destroyed the first ship. He had missed the point when the two began to exchange weapons' fire. He didn't really focus on the alien ship beyond what was necessary to distract the pilot, until someone aboard the ship attacked his mind.

OOOOOOOOOO

Sakura felt Hessa withdraw slightly as the sharing of their memories ended. He could feel her worry over his ordeal and tried to assure her that all he needed was rest. Although, he did admit, somewhat ruefully, to envying her the time she'd spent on the ship.

Hessa promised to make introductions, and assured him that the Federations were good people. She had shared memories just as he had, so he knew of her interactions and impressions of the crew. She wasn't sure why she was so anxious about his reactions.

He projected an image of Hessa and her sisters and a feeling of family. While she could tell he found the idea of such a bond with aliens odd, he too had felt the crushing isolation and believed he'd have done much the same in her position. Any kind of bond would have helped, and he couldn't help but share Hessa's affection for the two, even second-hand.

At the moment, however, they had, he reminded her, more pressing matters. The Skreelii were a threat to the People as a whole. There was also the matter of needing to find the entire species a new home.

Hessa assured him that the Federation had offered to help. They had already been attacked by the Skreelii, and were inclined to help the People. Captain Picard would want to talk to him soon, with the sisters acting as translators, most likely.

Sakura was eager to get on with that, but Hessa gently restrained him, reminding him of his mental and physical exhaustion. Reluctantly, he subsided and agreed to get a few hours of sleep. Hessa led the way to the most comfortable sleeping spot in the sisters' quarters that she knew of. Gratefully, he settled on the side table, where Deborah kept her plants, settling among the greenery, he drifted off almost immediately.

OOOOOOOOOO

"He's physically and emotionally drained," Chambers explained to the officers in the conference room. "He's going to need a few days' rest, minimum, to properly recover."

"He's in your quarters now?" Dr. Crusher asked. "Maybe you should bring him by sickbay."

"I've looked him over," Chambers assured the CMO. "Aside from the exhaustion, he's fine. I'll have him come in for a full workup, though."

"For the time being," Picard spoke up, "we are putting distance between ourselves and Skreelii space. We will need his story and his help with his ship fairly soon, though."

"He'll be up and around soon," Chambers assured him. "In the meantime, Hessa can probably give us the highlights."

"I think it would be best to wait for him," Counselor Troi shook her head. "He's feeling vulnerable and somewhat suspicious of aliens at the moment. We need to foster his trust, not go behind his back."

"Agreed," the captain nodded. "We will wait till Sakura is more fully recovered." He glanced about the table, taking in their expressions. Each of the department heads and Doctor Chambers had had their say, and for the moment, all that they could do was wait.


	14. Homecoming

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A series of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 14 Homecoming

Sakura coiled himself comfortably on the conference table, sampling the emotions of Captain Picard and the command staff, before indicating to the sisters who would be translating for him that he was ready to begin. They had discussed it earlier and decided to begin with a brief recounting of his journey. Rose joined them via the comm system so that she could add the new information to her map. _Enterprise_' long range sensors had filled in a few gaps for her, and she hoped his story would do more.

The command crew listened gravely as their guest recounted his journey with the help of his translators. It took time, but they covered everything from his departure from the home world to his encounter with the Federation ship. Learning about his new hosts, the crew was told, had been a priority for him, before he even considered resting. Picard nodded in understanding.

Once he had shared memories with Hessa, Sakura had felt much more at ease around them, but he was by no means relaxed. He was especially adamant about expressing his worries over the Skreelii finding the home world. In his opinion, they were far too close. He had been told, of course, about the _Enterprise_' encounter with the violently xenophobic species, and he had been reassured that the Federation was nothing like them.

When Picard had heard the entire story, he sat back in thought, before asking the question that cut to the heart of everyone's concerns. "Do you believe your people would accept Federation assistance in relocating?"

Sakura considered the question as well as what he knew of his people and the state of their sun. He believed they would be hesitant to take on such a debt, but he knew that the desperate circumstances and the testimony Hessa could offer as to their good will would tip the balance. He nodded, as Hessa had taught him.

"Excellent. I am prepared to speak to your leaders. With your help, I hope to soon contact the Federation with a formal request from your government." They began to arrange the details.

OOOOOOOOOO

The home world turned out to be barely more than a week away at warp four. The second of seven planets, it was a bit smaller than Earth with less surface area, about half covered by water. The conditions across much of the planet were sub-tropical, and the Polar Regions being rather small. It was a very green world. Sakura began to signal the massive crystalline structure in orbit from his ship as soon as they arrived; in order to reassure them as to the _Enterprise_' good intentions. The response was cautiously optimistic.

Hessa and Sakura transported themselves to the station, SkyHome was offered to the _Enterprise'_ crew as a rough translation, to arrange a meeting between Captain Picard and the ruling council. While they tended to this, the crew did not sit idle. Upon entering the system, the _Enterprise _immediately began to scan the local star to determine the nature of the threat to the natives and the urgency. It didn't take long.

"The star is expanding, becoming unstable in a way we rarely see," Dr. Goethel from astrometrics reported. "A main sequence star expanding isn't all that unusual, but such things usually happen over the course of thousands of years. For some reason, it is happening much faster here, and that is creating a dangerous instability in the star. We don't see this phenomenon often enough to understand why it is happening so rapidly." He paused to adjust the image he was displaying of the scan results. "Now, it will still take a good many years for the star's expansion to pose a direct threat to the planet, but the temperature and radiation levels are rising, and within ten years, the planet will be uninhabitable by Hessa's people."

"What sort of radiation?" Dr. Crusher asked.

"Oh, nothing that will pose an immediate threat to the ship and crew," Goethel assured her, "but we need to get those people out of there fairly quickly. No doubt they are already feeling climatic changes and a growing number of instances of radiation sickness."

"Thank you, Dr. Goethel," the captain nodded. The scientist nodded, and with permission, left the briefing. Picard glanced around. "The population we are talking about relocating is, fortunately, rather small as planetary populations go. Roughly 200,000,000 people according to Hessa. We should be able to arrange transport for the entire population within the allotted time. Finding a world they can colonize may be another matter." He nodded to Data.

"There are four possibilities within Federation territory. Two are slated to be colonized within the next few years, but either can be reallocated without too much difficulty. Both worlds, however, are somewhat colder than the People are used to and will have shorter growing seasons and longer winters. I have provided information on Hessa's biology and necessary parameters to the people who did the planetary survey. They have not responded yet."

"Compatible biologicals may be a problem," Chambers offered. "A lot of the things Humans eat are poisonous to the People."

"I have included all of the data you gathered," Data answered. "It will be taken into account as much as possible." He returned to his presentation. "The other two worlds, while warmer, lack the heavy vegetation of the People's home world. They are more arid. Not to the same degree as Vulcan, but they might not be suitable. When the reports on all four are available, we can present them to the People for consideration."

"Any concerns over their positions?" Riker asked.

"No, sir. All four worlds are within Federation borders, though on the outskirts. There are no known hostile races within thirty lightyears of three of them. The last is approximately eight light years from Breen space. They have been quiescent lately, though"

"Something to consider, though," Riker said as he nodded. "In the meantime, we have a meeting with their ruling council." He glanced at the captain. "Hessa and Sakura seemed optimistic about winning the People's cooperation. How are we going to present this?"

"Honestly and openly, Number One," Picard answered. "It will be impossible to speak to them otherwise. We present the facts as they are and offer our assistance. We have nothing to gain in this, and that will be clear to them."

"That may leave them wondering about motives, and whether we can hide things from them." Picard glanced at his security chief, and after a moment, acknowledged the point.

"We can't affect what they choose to believe," he said. "We simply must hope that we are given the chance to prove ourselves."

OOOOOOOOOO

Hessa and Sakura beamed aboard SkyHome to find a curious and anxious crowd of officials waiting. Both began to project reassurances regarding the alien ship. Curiosity, caution, and worry assailed them, as well as a certain amount of suspicion. Both responded with reassurances and requests to tell their story to the Council.

They were quickly escorted, as the Council was already waiting for them. It was good to be back inside the woven crystal walls of SkyHome, Hessa reflected. All of the scouts had lived there for nearly two years while they trained for the mission, and she hadn't realized how much she'd missed the familiar surroundings until she'd returned. Looking about the place, she realized there were some practical concerns for the upcoming meeting. Only the common areas and the grandest of the corridors, Hessa noted, were large enough to accommodate a Human. Picard and her sisters, she realized, would have to beam into the Council chamber. In some areas, the woven crystal was delicate enough that their weight might be a problem even if they could fit. Such ruminations were interrupted by their arrival at the Council chamber.

The returning scouts greeted the Council respectfully and again projected reassurance regarding the _Enterprise_. Hessa offered to share memories with them, as did Sakura. It was not something that was done routinely, not even among the People, but it was something that every child learned how to do. The Council members readily agreed, and the two scouts opened their memories to the group, which was something neither had done very often.

The two had been considered somewhat anti-social before they left, and neither had used the technique more than a three times in their lives, as the process had always been somewhat unpleasant for them. Neither shied from it, though. This was too important.

Their memories were thoroughly examined by the Council. Every experience assessed and weighed in an effort to gather as much information as possible. For the two scouts, it was an extremely uncomfortable experience; something that did not go unnoticed.

The Council withdrew from their memories eventually, projecting regret, apology, and reassurance of necessity. Sakura and Hessa responded with understanding and added an image of the Human captain and a desire for conference between him and the Council. The Council conferred quietly for a time before projecting reserved agreement.

The Council set the meeting one planetary rotation from that point, and asked that the message be conveyed. Hessa and Sakura agreed withdrew so the Council could deliberate. The situation they now found themselves in was unexpected and entirely unprecedented.

The memories Hessa had provided made it plain that communicating with the Federation creatures was going to be problematic. The notion of finding family with two aliens was intriguing but not off-putting. One Council member pointed out that the fact that she had sought such connections at all was a good sign that she might return to society as a healthy functional person. The image of the Vatae child carrying Hessa and stroking her feathers was somewhat amusing. The three seemed to have an odd but legitimate bond, and the Council saw that as a good sign.

The memories provided by both scouts of the Skreelii were a matter of grave concern. The People were entirely unprepared for a confrontation with such a race, with a psychology that was near beyond their comprehension. They had never had need of the kind of weapons the Skreelii and the Federation employed, and found themselves admitting that this was an oversight. None of the People wished for conflict, and that they might encounter a species that would attack them, merely for being different, had never occurred to them.

Now, they had to consider the ramifications of a universe far more dangerous than they had expected or even imagined. The Skreelii were not the only threats. There were several empires that might well prove hostile to them. The Cardassians, the Breen, and several others that Hessa had learned about while attending school aboard the Federation ship, might well try to either destroy or enslave the People. It seemed the Federation was strong and well respected by its neighbors. More to the point, they were a good people. The makeup of the _Enterprise'_ crew and the history Hessa had learned indicated a diverse and tolerant organization. While they didn't know what Picard of the _Enterprise_ was going to speak to them about, most were hopeful that he intended to offer Federation help. Not all were so sure, though. The debate, on this and other issues, continued for some time.

OOOOOOOOOO

Sakura and Hessa wandered SkyHome for a time; visiting familiar places, talking to old acquaintances, and eating familiar foods. The _Enterprise_' replicators had produced some interesting and delicious things, it was true, but there was something to be said for the familiar comforts of home.

Eventually, they found their way to a favorite viewing gallery. The crystal there was transparent but exceptionally strong, as there was vacuum on the other side. The gallery provided the best view of Home on SkyHome. Home was very green. Lush grasslands, jungles, and rainforests covered the planet's only continent, while lakes and inland seas like small blue-grey jewels lay scattered about. Threads of the same hue marked their largest rivers. It was beautiful. And it was dying. Their scientists had predicted that Home would be uninhabitable in 12 years, perhaps less.

That was why the scouts had been sent out. They were the People's best hope. Sakura picked up on that thought, nodded and replied with a doleful projection that Aela probably would have translated as: _We're doomed_. Hessa projected mild irritation and a comment on the sad state of his sense of humor.

Hessa knew, and Sakura agreed, that the People's best hope lay with the Federation. They just had to hope that the Council saw it that way. Two of the other scouts had returned in their absence. Neither had found anything dangerous, but neither had found a habitable world either. There were still three scouts, searching assigned systems; that had not returned. Hessa hoped they were all right.

She'd seen first-hand how dangerous it could be out there. She wondered if they should be retrieved. If negotiations with the Federation went well, they might be able to ask the _Enterprise_ to find them. That was a concern for the future, though, she decided. It was time to return to the ship and check on preparations. She had communicated the Council's wishes as soon as they'd left the Council chamber, but had indicated a desire to stay on SkyHome for a while. The small devices both of them carried allowed for simple messages, but they were rather limited. Ensign Taliaferro had promised to make something to allow more complex communication.

At the moment, the device simply sent prearranged signals and allowed indication of time. The Federation's method of time keeping was a bit odd, but they had learned it in order to better deal with life aboard the Federation ship. Now it served to set a meeting time.

After a bit of debate, Sakura decided to stay on SkyHome while Hessa returned to the _Enterprise_. She signaled for transport and soon found herself on the ship. She projected an image of her sisters to the transporter operator, and he suggested she try their quarters as it was late in the ship's day.

She triggered the doors with a telekinetic shove and made her way to one of the Jeffries tubes. They were easier for her to manage than the lifts when she was alone. It was rather like climbing trees back home. She passed a startled ensign on her way up, but the woman just nodded to her, having gotten used to seeing the alien moving through the tubes. It took little time to get to the correct deck and exit to the main corridors. Two quick turns and three startled crewmembers later, she activated the door to the quarters she shared with her sisters.

She projected a warm greeting as she entered the cabin, having picked up on the others' presence from down the corridor. They looked around and smiled. Aela was sitting on the couch doing homework on the computer while Deborah was setting food out for dinner.

"How did it go with the Council?" Deborah asked.

Hessa projected reserved optimism and an image of the Council that, she reasoned, was probably still debating.

"Like that, huh?" Deborah nodded. "Humans have a saying. 'Hope for the best, plan for the worst.' What can we do to help convince them?"

Hessa considered the question. She wasn't sure. The Council knew the situation quite well and didn't need the desperation of their plight laid out for them by outsiders. Captain Picard was no doubt working up the best possible presentation of the Federation and its offer. What could she do? She projected uncertainty.

"We'll be there as translators," Aela offered. "I think the best we can do is help make things go smoothly."

"I suspect you're right, Aela," Deborah allowed. "We can't be sure how the Council will react, but miscommunication at this point could cause real problems."

They discussed it for a time, but none could think of a specific way to help things along.

OOOOOOOOOO

Picard and the sisters materialized in the Council chamber. It was large enough for the two Humans to stand upright in most areas. Deborah and Aela glanced around, taking in the room and the people in it, but the captain only had eyes for the Council.

He stepped forward and nodded respectfully. Hessa and Sakura had shared their knowledge of the Federation language with the Council, so his words would be comprehensible. As Hessa had discovered, though, knowing the words didn't mean you understood what was being said.

The Council examined the Federation captain for a moment, having never seen a Human with their own eyes. There were predators on Home that were larger, but none that looked remotely like this. The others they encountered in their travels were likewise completely different. An examination of the emotions showed them that his person projected pride, confidence, and concern. The reason for the concern was not immediately evident, but it seemed to involve the success of the meeting they were beginning. That gave them some hope that his motives were genuine. The projected reserved welcome.

"Welcome to SkyHome, Captain Picard," Deborah offered, falling into her role as translator.

Picard nodded to the Council. "Thank you. It is the primary mission of the _Enterprise_ to make peaceful contact with new races. It is an honor to have been a part of this encounter. While the circumstances under which we meet are regrettable, I believe we are in the best position to help you and your people."

"How would you help us?" Aela asked, picking up on the Council's curiosity and warry hope. They could feel that the captain was sincere in his desire to assist them, and Hessa did her best to turn his words into projected emotions and images.

"I would like you to know that we have studied the condition of your sun, and while we have seen this phenomenon before, we have regrettably concluded that we have no way to remedy the situation. We can share what data we have, however, the only viable option, given the time we have to work with, seems to be evacuation of your population. Our scientists have estimated 10 years before this world is uninhabitable."

The Council projected sad confirmation. "We have come to the same conclusion," Deborah translated. She regarded the Council as they projected more information. "We started the search almost 20 years ago, searching the stars first with eyes and then with ships and specially trained scouts. All but three of those scouts have returned." There was more there. Concern for the scouts, hope that they had found a new world for the People. Reservation over accepting the help of the Federation. She put it into words as best she could.

"I understand," Picard nodded. "We can help to find your remaining scouts and determine what progress they've made. It may well be they've found a suitable world. If they have not, I hope you will entertain an offer of assistance from the Federation."

The Councilors debated among themselves briefly and then projected their interest in the offer. "We will hear your offer," Deborah told the captain.

"The proximity of the Skreelii puts all of you at risk. I have rarely encountered such a violently xenophobic people. I don't doubt the Federation will have difficulty reaching any sort of accord with them."

The fact that Picard's first instinct was to negotiate and find a peaceful solution was put across strongly by Hessa. Armed conflict was never the first resort for Star Fleet or the Federation in general.

The Council acknowledged the point to Hessa.

"I find myself reluctant to leave your people in anything resembling close proximity to them. We've grown rather fond of Hessa." He glanced at one of his translators, "and have come to see many of the fine qualities your people possess. Such a remarkable race deserves the chance to flourish." The sisters had told him before they beamed down that complete honesty was important. 'Don't just tell the truth,' Deborah had told him. 'Speak from the heart. Mean every word.'

He had done so. The loss of the People, Picard sincerely believed, would be a great tragedy. They were an admirable people, and he believed the Federation was their best hope. He explained that he had had a preliminary search done and found potential worlds within the Federation's borders, where they would be protected. He assured them that the Federation's highest law guaranteed their freedom and that no restrictions would be placed on them with regards to the world they would settle on. They would receive as much or as little help as they wished. He promised to provide the data on those worlds as it became available, and in the meantime, to help locate their remaining scouts and determine what they had discovered.

The Council agreed to review Picard's proposal and the information he had regarding the worlds he spoke of. Everyone in the room knew that the Council would accept the offer, having little choice, but they had to appear to consider their options as well as do whatever they could to help themselves.

Picard understood this, and he had tried not to damage their pride. It was not, after all, a one-sided arrangement. The People, Picard thought, were truly remarkable and would make fine additions to the Federation someday.

Leaving their homeworld, no matter how necessary it was, would not be easy for them. Picard knew there was more than pride at play here. He wished he could find a way to solve the problems with their sun, but he couldn't, and that wouldn't change the problem of the Skreelii, regardless.

He nodded to the sisters and they withdrew to allow the Council to deliberate. "They'll contact us when they're ready," Picard told them as they reached the door. "I'll have to beam back to the ship. Are you coming?"

"Hessa want to show me SkyHome," Aela said, "and I can fit more places than you can." The two Humans nodded.

"Have fun," Deborah told them, before Picard signaled for transport.

Hessa projected an image of Aela following her, and moved off through one of the larger passages. Aela followed her, eager to see what Hessa's home was like. The passages Hessa led her down were large enough to accommodate her, and were apparently used for moving equipment or large objects. They passed two groups of the People moving devices and material through the same corridors on some kind of sled.

The tour led through several common areas, and the Vatae girl got more than a few curious looks from those she passed. She didn't feel any anxiety or concern from any of them; just varying levels of curiosity. Everywhere she looked, she saw groups of various sizes working, talking or eating together. She saw no one working or traveling alone. She asked Hessa about it and her sister told her it was highly unusual for one of the People to be alone for any extended period of time. Becoming a scout had taken two years of intensive training, even given that those chosen were considered 'loners' before.

Aela had gotten a great deal of practice over the months she'd known Hessa and got most of what her sister had said. "You mean, you're considered abnormal? 'Cause you like to be alone sometimes?"

Hessa projected agreement, but she didn't seem disturbed by the idea, either that her own people considered her mentally unwell or that she might actually be abnormal.

"Both Humans and Vatae consider themselves social creatures," she said after a moment of careful thought, "but this kind of togetherness, I'd…" she hesitated, but Hessa prodded her to continue. "It sounds kind of smothering," she admitted.

Hessa considered the statement for a moment without responding, but she didn't seem offended. Finally, she nodded. While she did not find the presence of others smothering, she did occasionally find it necessary to be alone, without the background buzz of others' thoughts and emotions.

"Not sure I get the difference," Aela admitted. Hessa considered that for a moment and gave her species' equivalent of a shrug. "Doesn't really translate?" Hessa projected agreement.

The first stop was a garden of edible plants. It was beautiful and extensive. Hessa told her there were several like it throughout SkyHome, which provided food for the People. In fact, several of the People were snacking when they arrived. Hessa pointed out some of her favorite plants, and urged Aela to try one of the leafy plants with some refined sap from a large spine covered tree. Aela tasted the sap and found it rather tart, but it complimented the leaves from the other plant nicely. Then, Hessa said she had a surprise for her.

She led the way to the viewing gallery. There were several dozen of the People there. Aela gawked as she moved through the crowd, careful of where she stepped despite her wonder at the sight before her. "Wow! It's almost like standing in space." A wave of curiosity and amused agreement washed over her. "Oh. Sorry. I'm Aela." She looked around at the rainbow of feathered bodies surrounding her. "It's nice to meet you all." She didn't ask their names, knowing that would only create confusion, mostly for her.

Something of her thoughts must have gotten through, as a wave of amused curiosity rolled over her. She glanced at Hessa who explained the problem to the others. This resulted in some confusion. Most of the People in the gallery had never met an alien before. The few who had traveled to other worlds, understood something of the problem. In their, admittedly limited, experience, they had found none that communicated the way the People did. The small group of travelers reasoned that if interaction with aliens was to become common, they would need not only individual designations others could manage but a name for their species as a whole. This surprised most, but after a moment, they admitted it made sense, even if it did seem a strange concession. The People had never developed a spoken language, and while their telepathic communication was superior in many ways when it came to preventing misunderstandings, it put them at a disadvantage when it came to communicating with other sentient creatures.

Hessa pointed out that Aela had named her and Sakura, and that both names were inspired by varieties of flora. The matter, the group eventually concluded, would need to be brought to the Council.

Aela followed the discussion and debate as well as she could, finding it all strangely funny and at the same time a bit intimidating. She had never thought she'd have a part in naming a species. Maybe Deborah would have some ideas.

OOOOOOOOOO

Martin hummed idly as he reviewed the scans of Sakura's ship and the technical specs the People had provided to facilitate communication between the _Enterprise_ and SkyHome. The crystal technology was fascinating. He'd never seen anything quite like it. The engines, he discovered on close examination, were an interesting take on warp technology. The engines were definitely more efficient, but in terms of overall performance, they were rather crude. He estimated that the little scout ship had a cruising speed of warp four, and could manage warp five for brief periods. The larger the ship, though, the slower it would have to go.

He had seen one of the People's explorer ships docked to SkyHome. The computer had taken a while to make sense of the technical specs, but based on what he was seeing, the larger ships could manage warp three for a maximum cruising speed and warp four for short bursts without threatening the ship's structural integrity. SkyHome was another matter. It was so large and unwieldy that the structural integrity field and inertial dampeners the people employed wouldn't hold it together above warp two. That was going to make them a large, slow moving target for the Skreelii and any other hostile race that took an interest.

"Let's see what we can do about that," he muttered.


	15. Agreements

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A group of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 15 Agreements

The Council's deliberations had been short by the standards that Picard was used to. They contacted him the next morning with grateful acceptance of Federation' aid. They had started the process of preparing their people for evacuation some time ago. They had hoped to have a planet to go to, but if the time came and there was nowhere suitable, the Council was prepared to load as many people as possible into SkyHome and the other ships available, and head into unknown space. Now, they had somewhere to go. There remained a great deal of work to do and many decisions to be made, but they had more hope than they'd ever anticipated.

Picard was pleased with their response, but he had not yet gotten responses to his inquiries regarding the four planets. Such things took time, he knew, and there was work to do while they waited. The captain prepared a formal request to the Federation Council on behalf of the People, spending several hours preparing the message and all that would need to be included.

The task was made a little easier by the People, who had surprised him by choosing a designation of Ot'Hessan for their species. Apparently, it was the plural form of Hessa in the Vatai language. A literal translation meant 'field of flowers' according to Aela, and Picard agreed that it was rather fitting after seeing a transmission from the surface. There were crowds of the People waiting for word of the alien ship and of the returned scouts.

Long range communication between the Ot'Hessan was usually conducted via their written language, but there was also what amounted to a short-hand version involving lights and colors for simpler messages. The universal translators struggled a bit with both, but soon rendered translations Hessa found acceptable, if lacking in cultural nuances. The impression Deborah actually got was 'flavor,' but cultural nuances made more sense to the Vulcan linguist they were working with.

It would definitely be an asset in communicating with the scout vessels the _Enterprise_ would be tracking down. A formal request to do so hadn't been made, but it was expected. Based on what Hessa had told them, a group of Ot'Hessan would accompany them, probably at least a dozen.

While arrangements were being made for that, Starfleet had responded with information about two of the four planets. The first one had proved to be home to an intelligent species that lived in caverns below the surface, rarely coming above ground. A survey party had been captured as invaders, and negotiations were underway to get them back. The other was suitable in many ways, but nothing grew on the planet that an Ot'Hessan could eat. It would require extensive terraforming to make it suitable for them. It was marked as a possible. The teams studying the other two planets had not reported back yet with their findings.

This information was passed on to the Council, so they could review the options currently available. They had some skill in terraforming and knew their needs better than the Federation. It was hoped that the rest of the data would be available soon. In the meantime, the Council made a formal request for the _Enterprise'_ aid and a delegation was arranged to come aboard to assist in finding the scout ships. Three were still unaccounted for, but the Council had provided the courses for each of them. As soon as the delegation beamed aboard, they'd be warping out of orbit.

OOOOOOOOOO

Aela contemplated the image on the screen before her and repressed a sigh. Hessa and Debora were waiting in the transporter room while she was in class, taking a geometry test. Although not happy about missing the delegation's arrival, she knew she had to take the math test. Debora and Hessa could handle the delegation alone. That didn't worry her. Would have been nice to skip the test, though.

OOOOOOOOOO

Twelve Ot'Hessan appeared on the transporter platform. They all looked around and sampled the thoughts and emotions of those near them. The transporter operator, following instructions, focused on his work, barely looking at the delegation.

Debora welcomed them aboard and led the way out of the transporter room. The group had been assigned quarters near her. Quarters that Hessa had helped to furnish and decorate so the Ot'Hessan delegation would be comfortable. There were a number of edible plants in the room, along with several low tables and small structures that reminded Debora of the elaborate structures/scratching posts some people provided for their cats. Each of the three structures was topped with a flat platform that would allow the Ot'Hessan to converse with a Human at roughly eye level. There were two standard tables as well, with ramps leading from floor to tabletop on one side, rather than standard chairs located at the three other sides of the table, set there for any bipedal guests. The interior doors in the quarters were all open, as working the controls was an annoyance for Hessa.

The delegation spread out to explore the place, some winding their way up the structures or onto the tables to look around, while others went into the other rooms. Hessa had said that she would show them the facilities. Debora took a chair and watched the group.

They made for a fascinating sight. In addition to the range she had seen before, bright pink to dark red, there were three that were blue-gray in color. In response to her curiosity, those three projected images of their home territory, where the vegetation ranged from dark greys to near neon blues. Natural camouflage. Debora nodded in understanding. None of them had chosen individual names yet, so Debora addressed them as a group.

"I'll be giving you a tour of the ship later, so don't get too comfortable. There'll be plenty of time to explore your quarters over the next few weeks as we look for the scout ships."

She got a general acknowledgement in return. Some of them were curiously sampling the plants around the room. Hessa had told her this would happen, and the plants had been carefully chosen so they would be nutritious, or at least not toxic. The replicator in the room had been modified to include an easily manipulated speech synthesizer. A number of preprogrammed words and phrases, though new commands could be input easily enough. Debora had made sure that 'chocolate' was not something that could be easily ordered.

After a few moments, the group gathered again and collectively projected their desire to see the rest of the ship. Debora nodded and led the way out of their quarters. She pointed out her own quarters as they passed, and then started the prearranged tour, leading them through gardens and other common areas and pointing out restricted areas while showing them the general layout of the ship. She showed them engineering at the request of one member of the delegation who had worked to develop the scout ships.

Cmdr. LaForge gave the group a lecture on the basics of warp technology, which Sakura did his best to translate for his colleague who seemed to grasp the basic concept easily enough. The technology that allowed the Federation to implement it, however, was too alien. He and Sakura agreed that some of the ideas might be implemented with their own technology, but there would have to be much study beforehand.

The delegation also included a healer who asked to see the sickbay. Debora led the way there, chatting with the healer about Ot'Hessan medical technology. It was somewhat behind the Federation in many areas, but they seemed to have a gift for synthesizing organic compounds and for scanning and imaging. The grown crystals, which were the basis of much of their technology, could be adapted to handle a wide variety of energies. Debora couldn't follow the more technical aspects of the explanation, but she got the general idea.

Deborah made a note to ensure the survival of various plants on the Ot'Hessan home world, as they apparently had a variety of medical applications. The potential for new medicines, just from what the healer was able to relate, was exciting. He assured her that all useful plants had been sampled and were being cultivated aboard SkyHome.

A tour of sickbay and demonstration of some of the standard medical devices took about half-an-hour. Dr. Crusher greeted their guests, but left the explanations to Debora, who explained the basics of what each tool did and how it did it. The healer asked a few very technical questions, no doubt wondering if some of them could be adapted to work with their own tech.

The strength of the Federation, they quickly came to realize, was that it used technological innovations from a variety of species. Each member race of the Federation had developed warp drive independently. Each had its own way of developing and using similar technologies. Each had its own rich history. This diversity, the delegation realized, gave them an incredible strength and resilience.

Each stop on the tour did more to make this point to the Ot'Hessan delegation, ending in Ten Forward where members of no fewer than six different species sat eating and drinking together. Guinan approached them.

"Welcome to Ten Forward. I'm Guinan, your host." She smiled at the delegation, projecting warmth and a glad invitation. The Ot'Hessan entered the room and found their way to a large table that Guinan had reserved for them. She provided salads that Debora had arranged with several dressings and sauces. While it was true, Debora thought as she pointed out the choices, that Hessa liked tobacco sauce, she might just be weird.

Her sister gave her the mental equivalent of a pout, and Debora snickered a bit. The delegation chose to ignore the byplay as they settled in to sample the food available. While several tried the tobacco sauce, the sweet and sour proved the most popular with pesto sauce coming in third.

One of them asked about chocolate, having heard of it from Hessa. Debora told them that while chocolate tasted good, it made Hessa sick, and they weren't sure whether it was an individual allergy or if it would cause similar symptoms in any Ot'Hessan. She offered to review the data with the group's healer to determine the truth. That explanation was accepted, as was the offer, and the group settled down to discuss what they'd learned during the tour.

They were, they concluded, seeing the best of the Federation. While it seemed unlikely that the entire Federation was made up of such exemplary people, it was a good beginning, and they were quite willing to see more. The outcome of the current mission would be a deciding factor in how far the Ot'Hessan could trust them to help.

OOOOOOOOOO

"We're ready to go whenever the captain is," Martin assured Cmdr. LaForge.

"Excellent." Geordi nodded without glancing up from his own work. Taliaferro's work, he had to admit, was innovative. He personally thought the idea to reinforce SkyHome so it could travel at higher speeds without risk was a good one, but a lot of work remained before the proposal could be presented as a viable option.

The initial plan involved integrating structural integrity field generators into the systems of SkyHome. It wouldn't be easy, as the technologies weren't compatible, but if the projections Taliaferro had prepared were accurate, there was a way around that.

He almost missed it when the warp engines kicked in and the _Enterprise_ departed the Ot'Hessan home world to search for the scout ships.

OOOOOOOOOO

The _Enterprise'_ course had been a matter of some contention. Unknown territory lay in each of the three directions they had to choose from. The data the Ot'Hessan had was combined with what was known of the region by the Federation. There were known or suspected class M worlds along two of the routes. But there was nothing definitive known about any of them. Views of those systems from long range scanning facilities like the Argos Array had been wrong before.

After reviewing all of the available data, it was decided that one was as good as another, so they chose a vector at random and headed out. The long range sensors were better than those of the scout ships, so little time was wasted in scanning systems they passed through.

The first contained no habitable worlds, merely lifeless rocks. The second contained a planet with a civilization that seemed to have recently begun its industrial revolution. They moved on quickly from each, after determining that the scout ship was no longer in either system.

The ships did have warp signatures, but the drive systems were so different that it took time and some ingenuity to configure the _Enterprise'_ sensors to find them. To complicate matters, the trail had to be fairly fresh if they were to follow it. It wasn't till the third that they picked up hints of the scout ship's passage.

The third proved to have no suitable planets. The fourth planet had potential for terraforming, but it would require a lot of work. The scout ship was not there, either, but there was evidence in the dust ring around the fourth planet that it had passed that way.

They finally found the scout ship in the fifth system on its list. It was orbiting the second planet. They felt a pulse of curiosity and caution from the pilot before receiving a text message on the frequency commonly used by the Ot'Hessan. Worf read off a standard greeting, assuring them of the pilot's peaceful intentions.

Picard ordered Worf to respond with a text message in the Ot'Hessan' language. The message assured the pilot that they were friends and carried greetings from SkyHome and from a group of the People onboard. Once that was sent, he alerted the delegation to their success and asked that they speak to the pilot. In less than half-an-hour, the pilot and his ship were aboard the _Enterprise,_ and they were on their way.

OOOOOOOOOO

Aela went with her sisters and the delegation to meet the pilot. She hadn't offered to help any of them with names, and none seemed to feel the need, not having interacted with any of the crew as individuals. Most found it easier to address them as a group.

Everything had gone smoothly so far, with one exception. The delegation had been asked not to use the Jeffries tubes as shortcuts, the way Hessa often did. Having one alien feather boa doing it was a curiosity. Apparently, having a dozen or more swarm past someone doing maintenance was a safety hazard. Aela found the image a bit amusing, but apparently she was alone in that.

She arrived at the shuttle bay and joined the others, waiting for the pressurization to complete so they could meet the pilot. Hessa greeted her warmly and took up a position on her shoulders. The delegation noted this curiously, and Aela just smiled. "She's lazy," the girl explained.

Hessa offered only a token protest before turning her attention to the new arrival. The male who exited the scout ship was a bit larger than the others and a dusky gray in color. The pilot sampled the minds around him and then moved, almost reluctantly, to greet the delegation properly. He moved among them, but seemed to hold back in some way that Aela couldn't quite define. The delegates moved around him, eager for his report, although they already knew he had found nothing.

They brought him up to speed about their encounter with the Federation and the help they had been offered. He projected satisfaction at the news, and after a moment, gratitude toward the Starfleet officers.

Captain Picard nodded. "We're pleased we were able to find you, and that your journey was less…stressful than that of your counterparts." Sakura translated, receiving a pulse of curiosity in return. "They can fill you in themselves. The _Enterprise_ will set course to intercept the other scout ships shortly. We know that none of the systems on your route contained suitable worlds, but I'm sure they'll want your report in detail."

The pilot acknowledged this and Picard nodded, having gotten the gist of what little the pilot communicated. The male seemed quite reserved, which was unusual given his, admittedly, limited experience. Even moving among his own people, he seemed to hold himself apart.

"I must return to the bridge to set our new course. I'll leave you in Dr. Chambers' capable hands. Good day." He nodded to the group in general and walked out.

"Why don't I take you back to your quarters?" Debora addressed the group. "You can fill each other in while you relax." There was a chorus of agreements, and she nodded and led the way.

Aela tried to speak to the pilot, offering him whatever assistance she could while on board, just as she'd been advised to in the past. 'Diplomacy 101' one of the crew had jokingly called it, though what the numbers referred to remained a mystery to her. The pilot barely acknowledged her and moved off with the group, keeping himself at a small but noticeable distance from the others who seemed to flow around and even over each other as they moved. This, Aela knew was normal for them. The pilot, who she mentally labeled Cactus, deliberately kept himself apart.

'Cactus' took note of this, asking rather gruffly for an explanation. Aela winced at the slip and apologized before projecting an image of the plant she had first encountered in the ship's small botanical garden. She had found it rather pretty as it was in flower, but had learned the hard way not to touch it. Cactus, the name seemed stuck in her mind, gave the equivalent of grunt and ignored her thereafter. Hessa glanced at her and nodded without projecting anything, privately agreeing that the name fit.

OOOOOOOOOO

The second scout ship was harder to find. It seemed that the third system on the list given to that pilot contained a pre-warp civilization that had colonized two other planets in their system. Their space travel technology was more than two centuries behind, but they had a substantial and well-armed fleet and had constructed an impressive sensor array to warn them of approaching alien vessels.

The hail from the system, warning them off, arrived as they entered sensor range of the system. The fact that they had been detected and hailed surprised Captain Picard, but he had been in too many first contact situations to let that show. He did his best to assure the suspicious toad-like creature who addressed them that the _Enterprise_ mission was peaceful. "It is against our law to force contact when none is desired, but perhaps you could answer a question or two for me?"

"Ask," the creature agreed, mollified by Picard's assurances, but still suspicious.

"I gather by the rather impressive sensor array that you've had trouble with aliens before. Are there any threats in this area we should be aware of as we explore this region?"

"We don't know where they come from or what they call themselves," the creature responded, "but they attacked our system almost a century ago. We drove them off, but they routinely test our defenses." He provided a vector and heading from which the ships always came. "We suspect they have a colony or base in a neighboring system."

"Thank you. Can you tell me if another ship has approached your system within the last year? It would have been a small ship made of crystal." He had Data pull up an image of the scout ship in their shuttle bay.

"Moment," their unhappy host said, breaking off communications.

"Seems they have some unfriendly neighbors as well," Riker commented.

"Hopefully, we won't have to deal with them," Picard replied. "We don't need the headache at the moment."

"We are being hailed," Worf reported.

"On screen."

The toad-like creature reappeared. "Our records indicate that such a craft approached our system several months ago. It did not respond to hails, but it did alter course away from us. We did not mark its course."

"We thank you for your courtesy and assistance," Picard replied, and motioned for the channel to be closed. "Set a course around the system for the next destination on the list."

It took time to circumnavigate the system and get back on course, but within three days, they had arrived at the next stop. Two habitable planets awaited them. There were no signs of intelligent life, native or otherwise. The third planet was rather harsh, but habitable. There were no bodies of water large enough to be called oceans, but there were numerous rivers and several large lakes in the areas of the planet where vegetation thrived. Much of the planet was desert with several forbidding mountain ranges. The habitable areas were all near the equator, and the temperature, sensors indicated, dropped as low 33 degrees Celsius on in mid-winter.

The system's fourth planet was more inviting, being what could be considered Earth-like. It boasted one continent, slightly smaller than Australia, and a number of island chains. While the initial scans revealed nothing of the scout ship, the planet was a good match to the Ot'Hessan's needs. The _Enterprise_ entered standard orbit on the off chance the ship had landed for a closer look.

Debora reminded the Captain of how they'd met Hessa, and a more detailed scan was begun. It was during their second orbit that they picked up a faint signal. It was determined not to be of natural origin, but beyond that, nothing could be made of it. Sakura was asked to come to the bridge. He arrived in the company of five others as well as Dr. Chambers. Picard was about to ask, but then recalled what he'd been told about the Ot'Hessan social structure. It was rare for individuals of the species to do anything alone.

He explained the problem, and Sakura was shown the readouts. After making a few delicate adjustments, he announced, via Debora, that it was a distress beacon. The scout ships were designed to use their hulls to amplify the signal the transmitters produced. Basically, the entire ship was a subspace antenna. For it to be so weak that the signal barely penetrated the atmosphere, something catastrophic must have happened to the ship.

Sakura and two others left the bridge and made their way to the shuttle bay to use the scout ship's instruments to localize the distress signal. Debora and the rest stayed on the bridge at Picard's order. She contacted Aela and had her meet him there. A few moments later, he reported, via Aela, that he had the coordinates, had converted them to Starfleet's standard units, and was sending them to the transporter room.

"Thank you, Sakura. Would you be willing to join the away team?"

"He's willing, captain," Aela answered. "I'll show him transporter room two."

"Thank you, Aela." He closed the channel. "Doctor Chambers? Please report to transporter room two for an away mission." She nodded, and he turned to Riker who nodded as well.

"Worf, you're with me." The first officer left the bridge with the Klingon, and the doctor in tow.

OOOOOOOOOO

Barely half-an-hour had passed before a frantic call for retrieval was received. Specifically, Dr. Chambers called the _Enterprise._ "We found him. Now get us the hell out of here!"

The transporter chief locked onto them, discovering they were scattered for some reason, and beamed all five aboard. All of them looked rattled. Riker and Worf had their phasers out and were breathing hard.

"What was that?" Worf wondered aloud, putting his phaser away.

"I'm gonna go with T-Rex," Debora said, letting out a sigh of relief and then started stroking her passenger who was still radiating terror, much to everyone's discomfort. The dark red male Ot'Hessan had wrapped itself tightly around the doctor and showed no signs of letting go soon.

Sakura didn't seem in much better shape, though he was at least moving on his own. "I'm thinking this is going to make for an interesting story," Riker muttered, glancing at their new guest.

"I don't doubt it," Debora nodded, getting her own breathing under control. "I'm amazed that," she paused to sniff at the Ot'Hessan wrapped around her, "Magnolia here, survived so long alone."

The response to the new name was a collective, "Huh?"


	16. Magnolia Pt 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A group of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 16 Magnolia pt. 1

It had been a quiet night on watch for a change Magnolia noted, as he paused in the crook of a high branch to scan the area. It was rutting season for several of the larger predators that called the Great Southern Forest home. This made it doubly necessary to stay vigilant. The number of guards the small mining colony usually set was doubled, and even they were strained projecting deterrents into the minds of the predators that came too close to the settlement.

The foothills of the Southern Range were hardly an ideal place for a settlement of any sort, and if it weren't for the rich veins of minerals running through the hills, there wouldn't have been one there. Few edible plant species grew in the region, and imports did not do well in the local soil. The region was, however, thick with animal species, too many of which found the Ot'Hessan tasty.

The six hundred odd workers at the mining settlement worked hard to extract the needed substance from the ground while trying to make the best of it. The forest thinned as it approached the foothills where the settlement was established, but that did very little to reduce the number of forest predators they had to deal with.

He wondered at times why there was such a push on to produce so much from the mines, but no one he spoke to knew the answer. Speculation ran wild, however. Personally, he suspected it had something to do with SkyHome. There were rumors about additional construction, as well as rumors that new ships were being built. Whatever the cause, the miners were being well compensated for their efforts.

Magnolia set those thoughts aside and focused on his surroundings, as he ventured out farther from the perimeter than was strictly necessary. He knew the forests around the mining colony better than most, and he moved almost freely through the trees as he carried out his duties as a scout. It was his job to note the locations of any potential threats and relay the information back to those on watch at the perimeter. It was a dangerous but necessary task, and one that Magnolia felt more at ease doing alone.

No one really understood why Magnolia preferred to scout alone, merely accepting his explanation that one person moving alone was harder to spot and thus there was less risk. Harder to explain away was why he often moved apart from the rest during standard Watch duty. He didn't really understand it himself. He only knew that, sometimes, he needed the quiet.

He knew this worried some of the people around him, but he didn't know how to alleviate their concerns. He wasn't a threat to himself or anyone else, and he wasn't unhappy. Honestly, he didn't see a problem.

Unfortunately, others did. There was a tendency among those working in remote and dangerous areas to tolerate certain eccentricities among coworkers, but that didn't mean that people didn't consider his behavior strange or that they didn't worry about him. There was nothing malicious in it or even condescending. The others at the outpost worried for his health. Magnolia found the concern touching but still a bit aggravating.

A flash of predatory intent snapped his attention back to the present. A large female branch creeper had caught his scent and was trying to sneak up on him. Taking a moment to carefully examine the predator he saw that it was typical of the species. The tough, dark brown hide blended well with the bark of the trees, and the six legs ended in vicious talons that were made for scaling trees, but were equally effective for pinning down and ripping open prey animals. They were ambush predators and tended to be slow; moving quickly only in brief bursts. He allowed the beast to get a bit closer before acting.

Dropping to a lower branch, Magnolia moved swiftly to its end and launched himself to the next tree. He sent an image of the branch creeper and its location to the Watch. It would have to move closer before they needed to take action, but the more warning they had, the better. If his plan worked, however, it might not be necessary. The branch creeper had his scent and was pursuing him, probably hoping to bring back food to impress a potential mate.

A branch creeper usually wouldn't waste much energy in pursuing him, Magnolia knew. Given the season, though, this one was in no mood to be patient. It came after him. He led the creature to the next tree, moving slowly so it wouldn't lose interest. As long as it thought it had a chance, it would keep coming. He lured the branch creeper farther from the mining colony, and as soon as he detected the presence of suitable prey animals, he easily shook off his pursuer and circled back to the perimeter.

As expected, the group assigned to the Watch that night was incredulous, berating him for taking such foolish chances. It was a calculated risk, he pointed out, and one that he'd been willing to take to keep the community safe. Branch creepers, at that time of year, in that state of mind, weren't easy to deter. Driving away that one, had it scented those on watch, would have taken the combined efforts of the group. His way of dealing with the creature entailed less effort and not much more risk.

He'd been at the mining colony a little over a year, and he had done such things before. It never failed to cause concern among the community. He had gone there primarily as a worker, and spent much of his first three months there working the mine, but everyone had to take a turn on the Watch. It was dangerous and mentally exhausting work. Magnolia, however, seemed to thrive on the risk.

His desire to take chances had nearly gotten him killed a time or two, but that hadn't deterred him. A month after he'd been on the Watch on a more or less permanent basis, he'd been grabbed by a raptor. The flying predators were hard to spot, as what little mind the things had proved hard to spot. It was difficult to detect them till they were almost on top of you, given away by their excitement and predatory intent. Their dark coloring didn't help, allowing them blend in with the night sky, appearing as little more than shadows.

Magnolia had been luring a branch creeper; that time a smallish but still dangerous male, away from the perimeter when he climbed too high and made himself a target. He hadn't detected the fast-moving predator. It had dropped out of the sky, grabbed him and headed up. Fortunately, it hadn't gotten a very good grip, and its talons had not pierced him. Pushing down his alarm, he had concentrated on making the raptor believe that it had picked up a burning branch instead of edible prey.

The raptor loosed its grip immediately, and Magnolia fortunately fell towards the mining colony. The beast had been headed in that direction, and Magnolia projected a warning towards the people on watch even as he flattened his body and started to glide toward the ground, angling to come down inside the perimeter. It wasn't his best landing, but he wasn't hurt, much to the astonishment of those that rushed to check on him.

It was stunts like this, as much as his predilection for solitude, which brought him to the attention of the ruling council. It was only three days after he'd lead the branch creeper away from the perimeter that a skimmer descended on the colony bearing a group from the capitol. Aboard were three officials who asked to speak to Magnolia alone.

He agreed to speak to them, and the group moved to an isolated part of the mining colony. They told him that they might have a job offer for him. If he was right for it, the job would give him a chance to truly challenge himself and push the limits of what he was capable of. They couldn't say what the job was though, not at the colony. Before they could consider him, he would have to be interviewed and tested.

Magnolia projected curiosity, and agreed to travel to the capitol for testing. To his surprise, they insisted on going immediately. The flier was roomy enough for a dozen Ot'Hessan, as were most such crafts. They were rather Spartan, designed for speed and utility rather than comfort, but that didn't concern Magnolia, as the colony had been rather short on comforts. The haste with which they were acting did concern him slightly. The craft they used had borne no markings of any sort, but he had seen crafts like that before. Its use indicated that these people were on ruling council business.

They confirmed this readily enough, but could not share details of the job offer until he was properly tested. The way they behaved, in his mind, confirmed that he had been drawn into something important, and he withdrew to the back of the craft and drew in on himself as he often did when he needed to think. Such behavior was part of what made others of his kind wonder and worry about him. The three officials, however, didn't seem to find it odd.

The capitol was bigger than any town or city Magnolia had ever visited before, with a population, he'd been told, of roughly eight million people. Multi-storied buildings, some reaching dozens of meters into the sky, were common there, but most of the buildings were of the common wide single-story design. The dense crystal used in construction was matte in most places, but the profusion of multicolored symbols and mirrored highlights used for signs and decoration caused the city to almost glow. Unlike many of the smaller towns and villages, where structural weaknesses like windows were a rarity, the capitol had an abundance of the wide, transparent crystal sheets worked into the design of its buildings. The biggest difference, though, was the amazing number of people he could see and sense. Their thoughts, even at his current altitude were a constant background buzz and the warmth of the whole was almost stifling. That did nothing to take away from the wonder of it all.

Magnolia stared down at the city from the view port, drinking in the amazing sight. One of the officials projected curiosity, and Magnolia confirmed, somewhat distractedly, that he'd never been to the capitol before, or to any large city for that matter.

They left him to it and soon began the descent toward the landing platform on the roof of the government house. He was taken through a maze of corridors to an empty room and told to wait, and that the testing would begin shortly. Once alone, he turned his attention to examining the room and noticed several odd things. The room was nearly empty. There was a resting cushion set before a computer terminal, unpowered, and a raised section of floor at one end of the room, giving it the appearance of a rather small lecture hall. The walls were all matte save for the one at the raised end of the room. That was mirrored, and he realized it was a viewing crystal for displaying images, reinforcing the notion he was in a classroom. With his examination of the room complete, he settled on the cushion to wait and think about his situation and what it could mean.

Almost two hours passed before anyone entered the room. A single Ot'Hessan, an elderly female, approached him and asked if he was ready to begin. Magnolia projected certainty with a touch of impatience. The elderly female made no indication of noticing the impatience and moved to the front of the room. The computer and the viewing crystal wall came to life.

The next four hours consisted of a grueling series of intelligence and reasoning tests and a psychological examination. He disliked the intensely personal questions he was asked, but he did answer them. Finally, the female withdrew and left him alone for another hour.

He spent the time reviewing the tests in his mind. There had been a fair number of questions relating to times he spent alone and why he felt the need to be alone. The more he thought about that, the more he realized that those questions were subtly tied to other questions concerning his attitudes about various topics ranging from his upbringing to his thoughts on politics.

It didn't take long to determine that the job he was being tested for had something to do with his tendency to isolate himself. He wasn't sure if this should worry him or not. A job that required a psychological aberration? He couldn't begin to guess what it would be.

Eventually, the elderly female returned and escorted him to a room where two others waited. One was a large dusky gray male who acknowledged his presence before turning back to the viewing crystal at the front of the room and offering no more. The other was a wine red female, who was somewhat friendlier. Cactus, Hessa, and Magnolia gave their full attention to the viewing crystal and the male who appeared there.

Text scrolled across the bottom of the screen. "I am pleased you have passed the first stage of testing. I wish I could greet you in person, but my duties do not allow it. As you have all successfully completed this phase, you will move onto phase two. That means joining me and other candidates like you aboard SkyHome." There was a surge of surprise from the three that the image on the screen seemed to anticipate. "I know you have questions, but they will have to wait. Time is of the essence, and your transport will be leaving within the hour. The test proctor will escort you to the transport, and I will see you all soon."

The elderly female reappeared and led the small group to a landing field where a cargo shuttle was being loaded with crates of equipment and supplies. They were told there would be a meal waiting for them on SkyHome, as spaceflight made some people nauseous the first time. She saw them onboard and settled for the flight, then bid them farewell.

Magnolia looked at his new companions and offered a proper introduction. Both returned it readily enough, and they began to theorize about the job they had been tested for. Each shared their insights. Cactus was the one to point out that it obviously had something to do with their ability to withstand isolation, pointing out that even the waiting before and after their interviews had been a test.

Hessa and Magnolia acknowledged that this was likely true and speculated as to whether this job had to do with some new space exploration mission being sent out, possibly aboard one of the explorer ships. People capable of spending long times alone or with a small population, Magnolia pointed out, might be best suited for a long term mission away from the home world, and it would explain the push he had seen to extract the minerals used in their construction from the mines.

If it was just that, countered Cactus, why the urgency? The others had no answer to that.

By the time they reached SkyHome, the three had decided further speculation was pointless, and they'd lapsed into quiet contemplation.

The docking maneuvers of the shuttle interrupted their thoughts, and the three disembarked to find several council agents waiting for them. They were escorted to a high-security section of the station and led into a briefing room.

A bright pink male, likely from the western plains judging by his coloring, entered the room. He identified himself as Sakura, the head pilot of the scout ship program. He told them that what they would learn in the briefing must not become general knowledge yet. The reason why would soon become clear. Once he had their somewhat reluctant agreement, he began.

Sakura laid out for them the crisis before them. The condition of the sun and how much time their scientists estimated they had left were laid out in clinical detail. Then he told them about the plan and their part in it.

None of the three responded for a moment. Then questions started to fly from all three. Eventually, Sakura managed to restore order. Cactus, given attention, summarized what they'd been told. The sun was dying and they had to find a new world.

Sakura projected acknowledgement.

There were currently six Explorer ships with a crew of 1,000, and each could carry perhaps 1,200 passengers without straining life support systems too badly. SkyHome itself could hold roughly 250,000 people. There had been no planets capable of supporting life that weren't already occupied within 20 light years of their world. He knew this because his father had served on an Explorer ship.

It would take multiple trips, Cactus reasoned, to accomplish their goal of evacuating the entire population. Given the speed of the ships available to them there wasn't time, and they didn't yet have a place to go.

Sakura acknowledged that this was all true, although there were three additional large transport ships under construction, and that it was all the more reason to get started with their training. There were efforts on multiple fronts to solve the various problems facing their people. Over the last few years, as the deadline became more evident, more and more of the population had been shifted into work to support this goal. Many knew that a colonization effort was underway, though the exact severity of the crisis wasn't widely known.

There was a project aimed at protecting the population in underground shelters. Several large caverns were being prepared. The very mines Magnolia had worked in would soon be extensive enough to shelter three thousand people and the means to feed and support them. Other cave system being prepared, were much larger.

There were plans underway to establish another station at the edge of the solar system that would safely house 10,000 Ot'Hessan while giving them a better vantage point to search for habitable worlds. Construction of the basic structure was almost complete. New and more efficient ways of doing almost everything from producing ships to growing food were being explored. There was even a project to develop suspended animation technology. There were efforts underway to train as many people as possible in the skills that would be most needed. In one way or another, the entire population was working toward the same goal.

The scouts were the best hope. The ability each of them had demonstrated to endure isolation made them the best candidates as the newly created scout ships could only carry one person. This was the cost for building the fastest vessels they'd ever designed, capable of moving at twice the top speed of the Explorer ships.

These ships and their pilots would search the nearby space for suitable worlds. Worlds close to the specifications of their own would be best, but less suitable worlds would be considered as the need arose. In the meantime, however, training needed to begin. Sakura projected urgency and the need for their answer.

There was only a brief hesitation before all of them accepted.

OOOOOOOOOO

The training was much harsher than Magnolia had anticipated. He was expected to learn to fly the scout ships and complete at least basic repairs to the systems just as a start, but before that even began, there was the harder task of determining the psychological fitness of the candidates.

After being given the basic material on the scout ships and the new technology that went into them to study, he, like the others, was isolated out of range of any personal contact. A module, especially designed for training purposes, was detached from SkyHome once he was inside. It was the same size as the scout ship and featured the same amenities. Food and water were supplied via synthesizer as it would be aboard the scout ship. Magnolia was shown the basic workings of it and then left alone aboard to be launched from the station.

Several days passed after separation from SkyHome, during which nothing happened. He knew he was being remotely monitored, but it did nothing to alleviate the lack of contact with other minds. The material on the ship he had been given to study was the only distraction he had as time passed. After he had covered the basic material, he was expected to run routine checks on the systems as well as monitoring and correcting his simulated course. Fortunately, that was mostly automated, at first. As he learned, he was expected to take on more responsibility and more complex tasks as his knowledge of the systems grew.

Each day bled into the next, and he began to understand the difference between intentionally isolating himself from others for some time alone with his thoughts and being completely isolated from others, cut off from the warmth of the whole. It had always been there, in the background, even when he was more than a mile from other Ot'Hessan. Suddenly, it was entirely absent. At first, it didn't disturb him overly, but not having that connection or the options of interacting with others would, he came to realize, become a problem soon.

The only breaks in the routine that had been established early on were random, preprogrammed emergencies. The first was a failure in navigation that necessitated manually checking his course and making adjustments. Two days later, a power fluctuation in the engines began and he had to track the problem to its source and replace a cracked regulator crystal. Over the next three weeks, similar tests of his knowledge and ingenuity cropped up. He handled each as well as he could, grateful for the distraction of a problem to solve. He was also grateful for the very thorough training material he'd been provided with, finding it surprisingly thorough and detailed. He suspected that his ability to absorb and use the information under pressure was part of his assessment.

The need to study and the routine duties were what helped to keep his mind focused, because the lengthy isolation was much harder on him than he'd expected, and he wondered how the others were faring. He spent time considering that question to provide himself with another distraction. After some speculation, he concluded that the length of isolation would probably be the same for the entire group based on the initial assessment the prospective pilots had undergone. They were all being pushed near to their breaking point.

He took to sleeping a great deal and setting alarms in the ship's computer to help him keep his schedule. These escapes into unconsciousness ate up some time and helped him cope, but he still found the isolation trying in the extreme. The module, like the ship he would be flying, was small and somewhat bare. There was a sleeping pad with straps should the artificial gravity fail, similar accommodations at the pilot's station, and very little else. Star gazing and technical manuals on assorted subjects were the only distractions available when he wasn't monitoring the ship's systems and running routine checks on his heading.

Only the inherent challenge the training presented him with, and the fact that there was so much to learn kept him functional during that phase of his training, and he was quite happy when it ended. The results of his assessment weren't shared with him, but he wasn't dismissed from the program as some were. A total of five prospective pilots were reassigned to other duties, apparently having not fared nearly as well as he had. Since he'd often gone through periods when he had come close to giving up and begging to be brought in, he couldn't imagine how that could be.

Magnolia welcomed the chance to interact with others again, and cheerfully shared his insights and experiences with the other pilots. At least, he did when there was time. Those who had passed that phase of the program were immediately thrown into the most intensive training any of them had ever endured. Everything they'd mastered during their isolation was covered again with new levels of complexity. They quickly realized how 'dumbed down' the material they'd initially been given had been.

Sakura and Cactus held the top spots academically, while Magnolia was midrange and Hessa managed to scrape by with acceptable scores. Of the twenty-three other candidates that hadn't washed out, three proved incapable of mastering the systems alone. And for a good part of the day, they were alone.

The simulations they were put through became far more complex, and it was reinforced again and again that they would be dealing with such problems by themselves, with limited resources. Technical issues with the ships weren't the sole focus of their studies, though. They were given information on the different types of worlds they might encounter.

Some, they learned, could be dismissed quickly as unsuitable. Others had to be examined closely. The sensors tied into the computer would do much of the work of eliminating worlds that did not match the parameters the scientists had set, but the pilots had to be prepared to make their own assessments. Not all problems could be anticipated.

Systems for investigation were already selected. Stars that were too close to the end of their life cycle or that contained no planets had been easily eliminated. It was difficult to determine the nature of the planets themselves at a distance, but those that were too close to their stars or too far away were also scratched off the list. Dozens of other criteria were considered, and finally, a master list had been assembled and divided among the pilots who would eventually set out to examine those systems.

As the years had passed, new advances in the technology had changed the list a bit. Some systems had been eliminated while others had been added. A formerly promising world was found to have a poisonous atmosphere when a leap forward in spectrographic technology allowed them to examine the composition of the atmospheres of the nearer worlds.

All of the available information on each system had been loaded into the scout ships' computers, and every conceivable precaution was taken. Each system had a backup, and part of the limited space aboard was given over to storage of replacement parts, especially those that the ships' limited systems couldn't fabricate.

After more than a month of isolation and nearly two years of intensive training, the instructors felt that the pilots were finally ready. Their final exam consisted of a trip to a nearby system, which was already known to them, and an evaluation of its potential. The system chosen had six planets, only one of which was inhabitable, and that was already occupied by a primitive race.

Each of the pilots would make the journey and report back after performing a full analysis of the system. The fifteen pilots that had made it through the training to that point were given their ships and sent on their way.

The scout ships traveled together to the chosen system only eight light years away. On entering the system, Magnolia used the ship's sensors to determine the positions of each of the five planets, and plotted the most efficient course to investigate each. Once on course, he turned the sensors on the sun. It was a mid-sized yellow star that projections indicated was stable. There were no signs of exotic radiation, and no indications that what radiation it did produce was normal and within survivable limits. The preliminary analysis of the star was finished as he approached the fifth planet.

That world was immediately dismissed as it was a gas giant. The 17 moons were either frozen, airless wastelands or had poisonous atmospheres. Little time and energy was wasted on these, as spectrographic analysis told him everything he needed to know. A reasonably close pass was enough. The fourth planet bore closer examination. It was about the same size as the home world and it had a breathable atmosphere, but it proved to be too thin and cold to support the Ot'Hessan.

The innermost planet had a surface temperature just shy of molten lead, so he continued his course around the star to approach the last two. The third planet was slightly smaller than the home world and was an acceptable distance from the star, well within the habitable range. Unfortunately, it had an atmosphere that would prove extremely toxic.

Rounding the star to the system's second planet revealed a world that would be livable, if a trifle hot. There was a breathable atmosphere, gravity slightly lower than their own but only by a fraction of a standard gravity measurement, and plenty of water and vegetation. It also had several major cities on the largest continent.

The journey had taken a week; and the analysis twelve days. He reviewed his procedures once more before setting course for home to be sure nothing had been overlooked. Cactus' ship, he saw, had already left the system. The others were trickling back as they finished their own investigations. He was roughly in the middle of the pack, he noted, as he engaged the faster than light drive. He wondered at the differences in their procedures that had led to some finishing before others, but didn't waste too much time on that. He was certain their performance would be thoroughly dissected when they returned home.

The trip home was more bearable than the trip out or the initial isolation in the module because he knew there was an end in sight. He was certain the other pilots felt the same. They weren't close enough to sense each other, but three of the other scouts were visible on sensors. Just knowing they were there was some comfort.

Their arrival on SkyHome was met with optimism by the project's directors and the ruling council. Transferring the data regarding their missions to SkyHome's system was the work of moments, and they were given the day to relax while it was examined.

Each, it was pointed out, had made mistakes. Magnolia had plotted a very efficient course through the system, but hadn't run all of the necessary scans. The indications that the fourth planet was unsuitable were largely accurate, but temporary accommodations could be made for a small population, and terraforming could have made it livable in time. It should have been noted as a possibility.

The others each received similar critiques, and a few procedures were adjusted based on their performance. It took two more weeks for all preparations to be checked and double-checked, but finally, they were ready to go. Their mission was about to begin.


	17. Magnolia pt 2: Journey

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A group of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 17 Magnolia pt. 2 Journey

The launch, five days after their return from the test, went off without a hitch, just as it had during their 'final exam.' Every system and each piece of equipment had been thoroughly checked. What few adjustments to procedures and systems deemed necessary had been made. They were finally able to begin their mission.

Magnolia double-checked the systems as soon as he was underway, confirming that everything was in order and that he was on course for a star system a little over 12 lightyears away. He spent the next few hours reviewing all of the data available on it. Most of that information had come through long-range observation from SkyHome. An Explorer ship had gone out that way almost a century before, and had collected some information on the system, but only in passing. That did help to confirm it as a possible location of a habitable world, though. Each of the planets had a stable orbit, and the star itself showed no signs of instability, which was one of the reasons it was on the list to begin with. With all possible preparations made and precautions taken, for the moment, he decided to take a nap, trusting the automatic systems to alert him if there were any problems.

The journey took two weeks and was, fortunately, uneventful. According to the records, the system had three planets and an asteroid belt that, some speculated, might have been the system's fourth planet at some point.

The two inner planets were closest at that point, so, bypassing the asteroid field entirely, he set course for them. From his angle of approach it didn't matter which he visited first, so he chose the closest to the star, suspecting what he'd find. The innermost world was far too hot, its surface molten near the equator. The second he was able to determine without entering orbit, had a methane atmosphere, and its single moon was an airless rock. Continuing his journey around the star, he made for the third and last planet. This world, initially, showed some promise. It was the correct distance from the sun to put it in the habitable zone, if toward the outer edge, and it had a breathable atmosphere, but there was something odd about it that he couldn't make out until he entered orbit.

The planet wasn't rotating. Magnolia stared at the readings and then at the viewing crystal. He'd never come across _this_ in his training. One side always faced the sun and was a baked, barren desert. The other side, facing away from the local star, was a frozen wasteland. Reasoning that the middle ground, the band that was in perpetual twilight, might be suitable, he moved the scout ship to an orbit above that region and began a closer survey of the world.

There was plant life down there and that meant water, though he could detect no large bodies, and guessed that much of it might be underground. He scanned for any artificial signals and could find none. A closer scan of the surface revealed no artificial structures. So far, so good.

He entered the atmosphere for a closer inspection. The ship began, at his command, to sample the atmosphere and take more precise readings on the climate and temperature. Then, he took the craft lower for a more detailed survey of the surface.

At two points, the twilight band was bisected by rugged mountain ranges, one of which contained three volcanoes, one of which was actively erupting. Away from the mountains, there were grassy plains, forests, and a few small lakes at various points around the band. The band itself was roughly three hundred kilometers wide. A quick survey of the night side of the planet revealed vast expanses of frozen water which could be easily harvested and purified. While not ideal, the planet was a definite possibility. If the rest of the tests he needed to run went well, so perhaps a small self-sustaining colony could be established.

Scans of the plains revealed no large animals, so Magnolia landed the scout ship and again took atmospheric readings. Finding the air breathable and lacking any detectable toxins, he began the process of testing soil and plant samples. The equipment for doing so was necessarily limited, but he was able to do a basic chemical analysis. The plants he took samples of were not edible, but that meant little. There were plenty of plants of the home soil that were not suitable for food. The soil itself was not terribly rich, but beyond that, he could not tell anything about it.

He took samples from two more locations, discovering two edible plant species that gave some hope for the odd world. It was too soon to tell anything, though. The data would be stored in the ship's computer and presented to experts upon his return.

Having learned as much as he was likely to with the equipment he had, he lifted off and returned to space. He took the time to write up his initial report and observations while taking final scans of the system. The third planet was not ideal by any means, but it was habitable based on his initial survey. He organized the scan results and attached his findings to the report he'd prepared listing pros and cons.

He would have to wait until he returned to SkyHome before he could share it with anyone, though. Faster-than-light communication was theoretically possible, but at present, it was still only theory. If he had found an ideal world, he would have headed back immediately, but the third planet of the unnamed system was far from ideal. When scans were complete, he set a course for the next system, 10 lightyears beyond the People's furthest exploration.

The journey took two weeks and three days, but at the end of it, he had found plenty to distract him from his isolation. The second system on his list boasted eight planets; two of them gas giants with multiple moons.

As before, he carefully reviewed what his sensors showed him, and set an optimal course for the planets most likely to suit the People's needs. The moons of the first gas giant, the outermost of the planets, were well outside the habitable zone, so he bypassed the entire area, taking only basic scans. The second planet in the system was the next nearest and was within the habitable zone. That planet boasted a thin, nitrogen and argon atmosphere and two moons that were equally unsuitable, as neither had an atmosphere of any kind.

Setting course for the fourth planet brought him to the second of the system's gas giants. The seven moons that orbited it were barren rocks or held poisonous atmospheres. One of the latter also had a system of artificial satellites broadcasting and receiving incomprehensible signals, so he steered well clear of it.

The first planet was within the habitable zone, but it was shrouded in a thick and seemingly permanent cloud cover. The clouds were impenetrable to his sensors, and he couldn't even determine their chemical composition. That left the third and fifth to examine. He set course for the third.

Number three was covered by what at first looked like water and had a breathable atmosphere. Closer examination, however, showed that the liquid wasn't water. His sensors couldn't tell precisely what it was, but it registered as toxic, and a close pass over the surface revealed a variety of life forms beneath the surface, some of which were disturbingly large.

Moving on to the fifth and final planet, he found it to be unsuitable as well, as the atmosphere was better than 90% carbon dioxide. It possessed three moons, one of which had a breathable atmosphere, so he went in for a closer look.

While the atmosphere was breathable, the moon proved to have a large number of active volcanoes and no visible bodies of water. Examining the few quieter sections of the moon's surface, he found the only vegetation consisted of what appeared to be simple mosses. He considered landing to do a more detailed survey, but as he watched, the surface began to shake violently. The scout ship was not equipped for detecting or measuring seismic activity, but he was willing to bet that quakes were quite common.

Having found all of the planets and moons to be unsuitable, he suppressed his frustration and set out for the next system on his list. A detailed report was prepared, as per procedure, on each of the planets and moons once he was underway.

System number three was only eight light years beyond the second. The information on the system indicated there might be several habitable planets there. He hadn't even entered the system, however, when his sensors registered a signal of some sort. Examination of the readings showed that he was being tracked by some sort of detection array. A moment later, he picked up a vessel moving toward him from inside the system. It seemed that whatever habitable worlds there might be were already occupied. A signal of a different type registered and he listened carefully to the nonsense sounds the signal produce as it caused the array of communication crystals to resonate.

It was obvious they were trying to communicate with him, but the computer could not interpret the sounds. It was nothing like the language of the only other biological sentience the Ot'Hessan had encountered. He sent a message of his own; a standard greeting for Others containing the most basic message he could manage. A moment later, the hail was repeated. Apparently, his message hadn't been received. He tried again, sending it on all the frequencies he was able to at once. Again he received what he assumed to be a demand for his identity and his business in their system.

Lacking the ability to respond, he altered course to skirt the edge of the system and make for his next target, hoping that the locals wouldn't interpret this as a hostile action and attack him. Fortunately, the course to the next system on his list was at a near 90 degree tangent from his course to the third system, and he did not have to skirt the edge of their territory for long. The ship's sensors indicated that he was being monitored, but the locals took no hostile action against him. He still felt a wave of relief wash over him when he activated his FTL drive and jumped away.

The ship, he was happy to note, still worked flawlessly. He ran thorough diagnostics on navigation, propulsion, sensors, and found they and all the rest continued to function at optimum levels, and diagnostics run on the computer found no sign of trouble.

Procedures set down by the designers dictated that diagnostics should be run every few days on a regular schedule. It could be a time consuming process, depending on the detail he wanted and the complexity of the system. A level five diagnostic of the drive only took a few minutes and was useful in determining the overall health of a system. Each level of complexity added between half-an-hour and an hour to the process. This was true of each system, and some of the scans required more of his attention than others. Part of it, he suspected, was just to keep the pilots occupied as the schedule ensured that there was something to do nearly every day as there were several diagnostics that could not be run concurrently. He was grateful for the distraction, and equally grateful that the scans continued to find nothing wrong.

It took nearly seven days to reach the fourth system on his list. It was the largest he'd been to yet, containing twelve planets, including three gas giants with better than 10 moons each. Having encountered two systems with sentient races in them, he set his sensors to scan for any artificial signals, not wishing to be caught by surprise. His approach brought him close to the outermost planet first, and he dutifully ran basic scans even though the planet was well outside the habitable zone. He noted that the planet might have had a breathable atmosphere if it hadn't been lying in deep drifts on the ground.

Number 11, which was the next closest, was barely a planet, more of a very large asteroid. He marked its orbit and recorded the basic information necessary before heading for the system's ninth planet. It was a gas giant with 15 moons.

Number nine's moons were all unsuitable, but offered some interesting puzzles. The closest moon to the planet was in a decaying orbit. The computer offered a tentative projection, indicating that within twenty years it would collide with the gas giant. Magnolia wasn't sure what had altered the moon's orbit, but marked it as a possible source of concern. None of the moons offered anything other than raw materials as far as he could tell, and while that was worth noting, it was not the primary concern at the moment.

Number 10 was currently on the far side of the system and was a low priority, so he set course for the seventh planet. Having encountered variety of different planets so far, he was not terribly surprised to find something he hadn't encountered before.

While the world was unsuitably cold, it did have a breathable atmosphere. That was all it had to recommend it, though. The entire planet was one vast desert. There were no green areas or even Polar Regions. It was one vast sand box. There seemed to be no signs of life at all. There were a few points where mountains broke through the sandy covering, but as far as the scanners could determine, they were nothing more than barren rock. The lack of polar ice caps seemed to indicate that there was absolutely no water to be had there.

He wondered if the vast amount of silicate on the planet might make it an exploitable resource if the People settled in this system, but that would require more testing than he was capable of doing and was not, for the moment, his priority. He recorded his speculations about the possibility and attached the file to the scan results as he moved on to the next nearest world. Number eight.

The eighth planet had a poisonous and turbulent atmosphere. Storms raged across the surface almost constantly. The planet's moon was equally unsuitable, and he moved on, quickly bypassing six as it had too much in common with number eight. Number five bore closer investigation, but the thin atmosphere had too high a concentration of argon and a few other elements to be suitable.

He continued to catalog the system till he was left with two possible candidates. The third was habitable, but too hot for the People's needs. It might be suitable as a source of raw materials, but even in mid-winter, it would be very uncomfortable.

The fourth world was more promising. It had one large continent and a number of islands that looked lush and green. The atmosphere was breathable, and the climate inviting. Taking the scout ship into the atmosphere, Magnolia began to take more detailed readings. The world was, in many ways, much like the home soil. Comparable climate and distance from the local star. The orbit was stable and didn't carry the planet too close or too far from the sun for comfort. A pass over the ocean showed the water to be precisely that. Appropriate filtration could make it drinkable if necessary. Judging by the lush plant growth he was seeing, however, that wouldn't be a problem. Jungles, forests and grasslands were plentiful. This, he realized, could be what they were looking for.

He flew low over one of the plains, reasoning that it would be an excellent place for crops, and after detecting no large predators, he landed. The soil was rich and good for growing things, based on the computer analysis. The plants, while not edible, were much like those of the home soil. It gave him hope that transplanted species could thrive there.

He decided to check other areas, but paused before boarding the scout ship. A flash of predatory intent caught his attention. It wasn't directed at him, but he still took note of it. Scanning the area carefully with all his senses, he found a small, reptile about half his size hunting insects in the nearby grass. Magnolia doubted it would attack him, but he boarded the ship quickly, regardless. Frightened animals could be dangerous and he had no desire for a confrontation.

Moving on to a lightly forested area in the foothills of one of the continents two mountain ranges, he landed in a clearing after scanning for the motion or heat signatures of any large predators.

There were a variety of flowering plants in reasonably rich soil in the area. Some of the berries and roots he discovered were edible and after careful testing, tried them. The flavors were certainly different, but not unpleasant. Although the leaves of one plant, he decided, would be better if ground up and sprinkled sparingly on something else.

There were animals about, but most shied away from the strange object. Moving a bit farther from the ship to examine a tall, fruit-laden tree, he kept a careful watch on the local creatures. He sensed no predators, but the larger herbivores might be dangerous if he spooked them.

The fruit proved edible if rather bland, which was odd, given the strong sweet smell it gave off. It occurred to him that he really shouldn't be testing the local foods himself, but after the stuff the synthesizer produced, even the rather bland fruit was a nice change of pace.

All of the tests he was equipped to run said the things he had eaten were safe, but he should still be careful. Deciding he'd sampled enough local delicacies, he began to make his way down the tree and back to his ship.

He hadn't made it halfway down the trunk of the fruit tree when he felt panic from somewhere nearby. It was coming from a section of forest to the east. He'd noticed some large herd animals some distance away in that direction, but hadn't been concerned because of the distance and terrain. Now the entire herd was apparently stampeding in his direction at an alarming speed.

Launching himself from his spot on the trunk, he made for the scout ship at his best gliding speed. The wind was against him, and he barely made it to the ship. With a thought, he entered the control sequence for an emergency launch. The ship had barely begun to rise, though, when it was struck from the side by one of the heavy creatures. The large quadrupeds began knocking the ship back and forth. Having the ship rise off the ground in their midst only created confusion and caused some of them to rear up, striking at the ship with their forelegs in their panic.

The ship was not delicate, despite its appearance. It was meant to withstand the rigors of space and atmospheric flight, but without the navigation shields, the ship was far more vulnerable. Sparks erupted from two different consoles and the brief burst from the engine sent the craft into the ground, creating a furrow several feet deep and almost 100 feet long.

This caused the herd to scatter in all directions, but his troubles didn't end there. The viewing crystal was cracked, but it still displayed an image. The creature approaching his ship, carrying one of the slower herd animals in its mouth, slowed and regarded the unfamiliar object curiously.

The thing was clearly a reptile of some sort, but there was nothing so large on the home world. It would have towered over all but the tallest buildings in the capitol. It was bipedal with atrophied front legs, not that it seemed to need them. The creature moved just fine on its back legs. He was more concerned with the teeth that became visible when it dropped its food.

The teeth in the enormous mouth were as long as the average branch creeper's body and each of them came to a wicked point. Magnolia got far too good a view of them when the creature began poking at the ship with its nose.

The ship rocked slightly with each impact, causing even more damage, and Magnolia decided that had to stop. Concentrating, he projected the idea that the ship was burning hot to the touch into the creature's mind, what there was of it, reasoning that fire would be one of the few things that would dissuade it.

The beast drew back, startled. Then it swung its massive head and knocked the ship on its side. The impact finished off the viewing crystal, and Magnolia only knew the creature was still there because it continued to strike the scout ship, causing it to roll around, almost as if the creature was playing with it.

Magnolia was never sure how long that went on, but eventually, the beast grew bored or hungry and went away. For almost three hours, he dared not stir from the ship, using the respite to check the systems to determine the extent of the damage. He found very little good news. Most of the primary systems were offline. Engines, shields, communications and life support were all down. While most of the backups were functioning, it would take time and tools he wasn't sure he had to fix everything. Deciding to hold off on that, he ventured outside to look at the hull.

Made out of the densest, most durable crystal the People could make, the hulls of spaceships were intended to stand up to extreme heat, radiation and gravitational fluctuations and still function properly. Apparently, however, it was never intended to serve as a chew toy for an alien monster. In addition to whatever damage the crash might have caused, there was scoring on the hull that looked a lot like tooth marks.

For a long time, he was never sure how long; he simply stared at the crippled ship. Nearly every contingency had been planned for, but the kind of catastrophic damage the ship had suffered was beyond his abilities and resources. He was stranded.


	18. Magnolia Stranded

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or basic ideas from Star Trek. No profit is earned in writing this.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I got this idea for a series of stories based around original characters based in the Star Trek TNG universe. A group of original characters will be the center of the story with canon characters only showing up briefly. I will work on this as I can. Each chapter will be a self-contained story, but building on the one before. I don't really have an 'end' in sight. I'm just enjoying the exercise and I hope you will as well.

LOWER DECKS

CH. 18 Magnolia Stranded

There was nothing he could do to repair the hull even if he did manage to get all of the systems running again. It took time for this to settle in, but Magnolia had always been practical. Panicking wouldn't help, nor would sitting in the grass staring at the ship and wallowing in self-pity. He set about cataloging the damage and determining what he could fix.

Several hours of hard work later, he had his answers. The engines could continue to produce power after a few minor repairs, and the food synthesizer had suffered no real damage and only required the replacement of a power coupling. Shields could be fixed by cannibalizing the systems that were either beyond hope or unnecessary. There was little use for navigation under the circumstances, but they couldn't be sustained for long periods. They would only be used in an emergency, such as another visit from the thing that had tried to eat the ship.

The only system that he deemed truly critical was communications. That would take time and ingenuity to fix, but he was certain he could manage it. He had to set up a distress signal. There were other space faring races out there. If he could get someone's attention, he might be able to complete his mission, or at least return home.

Given the way he had been stranded, it was unlikely that this world, or at least the main continent, was going to prove suitable as a new home for the People. Perhaps some of the islands would be suitable, he mused, as he set to work repairing the communications system. Everything else could wait until he knew for certain that he had the resources to finish the critical repairs first.

It took nearly two days, but he managed to set up a simple repeating signal, that was a minimal drain on the engines. Careful examination of the engines proved that, while they could still produce energy, they would never again produce enough to get the ship off the ground. To make the signal strong enough to be received any appreciable distance from the planet, it was necessary to use the hull as an antenna.

Fortunately, the People had long ago learned to use sunlight as an energy source. The hull of the ship, damaged though it was, could still recharge key systems with sunlight alone, which was fortunate, as fuel would not last forever. It was a slow process, given the size of the ship, but it helped maintain the energy reserves and keep the critical systems functional.

To keep safe, he rigged what was left of the sensor array to detect motion within half a kilometer of the sip, to warn of approaching creatures. A similar system had been used by the Watch at the mining colony to provide advanced warning of some of the home-soil's larger and more determined predators.

Once the situation with the ship was as stable as it could be, Magnolia started to carefully explore the surrounding area. Pausing before leaving the ship, he stretched out his senses, taking in the minds around him. He could feel no predatory intent and no fear within his range. That didn't mean it was safe, but he needed to get out and scout the area, at least. Hopefully, he could bring back some fruit to supplement what the synthesizer could produce.

The nearest fruit tree was fairly close, and better, it was part of a grove of such trees. Ignoring the fruit for the moment, he scaled the tree, climbing to the highest branch that would hold his weight and looked around.

The grove of trees was not isolated. It was at the edge of a forest that gradually thickened. He couldn't see the other side, but the rising hills to the east were covered by them. The hills were just the beginning of what he knew to be a modest mountain range. To the west were grasslands with a few stands of trees here and there. Straining his eyes, he spotted movement to the northwest. It seemed the herd that had crashed his ship had reformed. The large hairy quadrupeds seemed to be grazing peacefully at the moment. There was no trace of the large predator in any direction, for which he was grateful. The creature likely had a very large territory that it roamed.

Returning to the base of the tree, he reached up with his mind and plucked several of the fruit. It would help to stretch his food supply. He returned with them to the ship and began looking for other edible plants, as well as a water supply.

Less than half a kilometer from the ship, he found a small stream that seemed to flow down from the mountain range and several bushes with white berries that he collected for testing. He filled the collapsible container he had brought with him with water from the stream and returned to the ship. The water required purification; something the synthesizer was capable of with minimal power usage. The berries were edible and he discovered, quite tasty.

Over the next few days, he carefully explored the woods and grassland around the ship, finding two more edible plants and a species of insect that proved edible and a decent source of protein as long as he washed it down quickly to get rid of the taste. Unfortunately, while the synthesizer could purify the water; it left an odd aftertaste that he couldn't explain. _Maybe it's the bugs_.

The herd, he was happy to note, kept its distance, wandering the grasslands without coming within a kilometer of the ship. The creatures looked fairly docile, but he knew that they could be dangerous when agitated if for no other reason than the newborn calves were twenty times his mass.

His first two weeks on the planet saw Magnolia slipping into a routine. It was a fairly peaceful time, but no less stressful for that. He would sleep at night and upon waking, check the com system and double-check the distress signal to ensure it was still transmitting. Then he scouted the area, provided there was nothing nearby that might try to eat him. The large predator he had taken to thinking of as 'the beast' wasn't the only one in the area, just the biggest. The others tended to hunt insects and other small animals and avoided Magnolia.

He would gather food and water if he needed it and try to expand on the limited menu. The fruit and insects weren't, he realized, going to last indefinitely. Eventually, the seasons would change and he'd have to be ready to adapt.

He had some success in that regard, and it gave him some hope that he could survive there, but the relative peace and quiet didn't last. The beast arrived on the morning of the 16th day. Magnolia had sensed it in the distance, but it hadn't ventured back toward the grove until that morning.

While on his way to the grove of fruit trees, he sensed the herd's panic. Fortunately, they weren't stampeding toward his ship again. They would be passing near the grove, though, and could change directions without warning.

He returned to the ship to monitor their course and raise the shields if necessary. He'd been able to repair the viewing crystal, but used it or any other system that required power only in emergencies. The herd stampeding toward the ship counted as an emergency. He activated the screen and double-checked the repairs to the shield generator.

Over the next half-hour, the herd first moved toward the grove and then scattered as the beast came thundering through. It paused briefly as it passed the ship, but then kept going, intent on catching dinner for itself.

Leaving the ship over the next two days became impossible, as the beast continued to wander the area. Fortunately, Magnolia only had to raise the shields once. The beast had come by at one point and poked at the ship with its nose. The sensation of coming into contact with the shields must not have been pleasant, as it had drawn back immediately. It had struck at the ship once in retaliation, but the impact hadn't done any damage through the shields, and the beast had wandered away.

Eventually, it was safe to leave the ship again. The water from the stream was running low, so he made the trip, wary of the herd and the beast. In addition to the sample container for liquids that he'd been using, he brought along two other containers that he'd managed to clean and modify for his purposes. He'd used them for gathering samples on the world that didn't spin and had sterilized both containers as best he was able.

He made it to the stream without incident and filled all three containers. One, with careful rationing, would get him through three days. The additional containers should allow him to get through a week without a trip to the stream. He'd made it to the far side of the grove that separated him from the ship when he detected the beast. The thing could be surprisingly quiet when it wanted to be, and for the moment, there was no predatory intent to pick up on.

After stowing the water containers in a hollow between two roots, he moved closer with care, and saw that the beast was poking at his ship again. It appeared the thing was just playing; it didn't try to eat the ship. It's rough-housing, however, might cause more damage. Knowing that the beast hadn't reacted well the last time he'd tried to influence it, he considered carefully before projecting the idea into the beast's mind that one of the herd animals was nearby. The beast's head came up and it looked about. It sniffed the air and began to wander in the direction of the phantom herd creature Magnolia had planted in its mind. As soon as it was out of sight, he retrieved the water and made for the ship.

The next encounter with the beast, unfortunately, didn't go as well. Only three days had passed when it returned, catching Magnolia unexpectedly on the far side of the grove, gathering fruit as well as berries from a patch that grew farther up the slope.

When the beast came into view, Magnolia made for the nearest tree, which was some distance away. The rush to the safety of the tree brought him to the attention of the creature. He was somewhat smaller than its usual prey, but that didn't stop it from showing an interest and going after him. He barely reached the tree-line ahead of his pursuer, slipping between two specimens growing close together. They were large enough that the beast chose to go around them rather than knock them down, which gave Magnolia the chance to reach a tree farther into the grove and scale it with an alacrity that surprised him. He was careful to keep the trunk between him and the beast, even when he reached a point higher than its head.

Finding himself in the uppermost branches, he flattened himself on one of the thickest and watched the creature. It moved among the trees sniffing after him, but it seemed confused and irritated. After a few sniffs, the beast shook its head, making an unhappy sound and sneezed explosively. It poked its head in among the branches, obviously looking for him. On a hunch, Magnolia reached out with his mind and plucked a few of the juicier looking fruit, before dropping them on the creature's head, aiming for the nostrils. It drew back abruptly and sneezed again. With an irritated sounding roar, the beast turned and stomped out of the grove, still shaking its head, trying to rid itself of the sticky fruit juice now coating its nose.

Now that, Magnolia thought, was interesting, and suggested a possible defense. The beast obviously didn't like the smell of the fruit, but such a strong scent could attract all manner of things. The grove was home to a population of the insects that he ate with little enthusiasm, and a species of small flying creature that ate the bugs. None of the things that lived in and around the grove seemed to find the smell off-putting, but the beast seemed to. He couldn't think of a way to verify that, though, without risking becoming its lunch. He got the chance to test the idea a few days later.

The beast had wandered beyond Magnolia's range. Unfortunately, that did not mean the region was safe. He was returning from a trip to the stream when he detected several somethings moving toward him fast. They didn't feel like the herd animals, as there was the distinctive feel of predators about them. Secreting the water containers he was levitating under a nearby bush, he made for the trees at his best speed. It was a near thing. Four reptilian creatures, roughly 25 times his mass, he estimated, appeared out of the high grass and rushed him as he scaled the nearest tree.

Once situated on the lowest branch, he examined the latest threat. Pack hunters, he noted, bipedal with small, almost useless forelimbs, like the beast, but these creatures were much smaller and faster. It was likely they used their speed and numbers to take down larger prey. It might take six or seven of them to bring down one of the herd creatures, but when they did, the meat would feed the entire pack for some time.

Speculating on the nature and habits of the local wildlife, while it helped him focus and calm down, didn't solve his most pressing problem. The small creatures had hind legs designed for jumping, and they could almost reach the lowest branch where he had stopped to catch his breath. He learned this when two of the mini-beasts came within centimeters of the underside of the branch. It had startled him so badly that he dropped the fruit he had plucked to throw at them, splattering the juice all over himself.

Ignoring the sticky mess he'd become for the moment, he plucked two more and put a hastily improvised plan into effect. Concentrating on the two pieces of fruit, he sent them down among the pack, moving them around the creatures like birds harrying a predator too near their eggs.

This wasn't a difficult feat. The children of the People were taught early on how to move objects with their minds and to control to a fine degree what they affected and how. Manipulating multiple objects at once was taught to the young as a game. He had played it himself often enough that the task before him was no challenge.

The creatures reacted as he had hoped, becoming agitated by the fruit flying around them. They began to snap at the distractions and after a moment or two of this, Magnolia let one of the vicious creatures catch one.

Under other circumstances, the result would have been comical. The unfortunate mini-beast that had closed its jaws on the fruit immediately began making unhappy noises and shaking its head violently side-to-side. Had its anatomy allowed, it would have probably been spitting repeatedly on the ground. The others stopped and stared for a few seconds and then backed away as two more fruit joined the one still in motion. None of the other mini-beasts, and he really had to think of something else to call them, were interested in snapping at the objects being used to harass them.

Counting this as a success, Magnolia caused each fruit to collide with the heads of the remaining creatures. They soon retreated, using the short forelimbs to scrape off the mess. He watched the creatures retreat with some satisfaction, but soon lost sight of them in the tall grass.

The mini-beasts continued to roam the area around the grove for several hours, hunting the smaller animals, until the beast stomped back into range of Magnolia's senses. Its arrival inspired the little terrors to beat a hasty retreat. Apparently, the beast was very territorial, and it stuck close the area where the intrusion had taken place for a time.

Magnolia spent three exhausting, nerve-wracking days stuck in that tree, watching and hoping the beast would leave. He rationed the remaining fruit and ate the few insects that crossed his path. Rest, though, was the biggest problem. It was a struggle to stay awake at first, fearing he'd fall out of the tree if he dozed off on a branch. They were like the trees at home in some ways, but the branches tended to be narrower, rougher, and grow in odd directions. It took a little getting used to. Eventually, he found a safe place to sleep higher in the tree where a small hollow was created by the angle of a thick branch growing out from the trunk. It wasn't comfortable, but it was safer. Liquids also became a problem. Fortunately, the juice from the fruit satisfied that need or he would have had to risk being spotted to reach his water containers. It was not something he was eager to try.

Eventually, though, it did wander far enough away for Magnolia to come down, retrieve his water containers and retreat to the ship. It was another two days before he got the chance to venture outside again and retrieve fruit from another tree. He stored some of this in the ship and smeared the juice from the rest on the hull. The beast, he noted happily, gave the ship a wide berth after that.

Magnolia took to anointing himself with fruit juice whenever he had to go out. He couldn't tell if it actually helped keep the beast away, since he never left the ship when it was within his range, but it didn't hurt, and it attracted bugs.

Weeks passed in this fashion, becoming months. His days were spent monitoring the communication system for any signals and making sure his own continued to broadcast. Unfortunately, maintenance of the system was all he could manage. He had boosted the signal as much as he could with the equipment he had. This filled his time when he was not fetching water or searching for new sources of food.

The fruit eventually dropped from the trees, and the bugs became more plentiful as they were drawn to the smell. This gave him the idea of arranging the overripe fruit in a circle around the ship so he didn't have to smear the juice on the hull anymore and made the bugs come to him. This saved him some time and effort, as he'd had to renew the coating of juice after each rain.

Just as the fruit from the trees became unusable, bushes that had previously been bare began to flower and produce berries. Magnolia adapted. One of the containers he had used for water, he filled with juice from the fruits he'd been eating. He didn't drink it, though. It was more valuable as a defense.

There were varieties of grass that were edible, though not terribly tasty or nutritious, but with his supply of fruit dwindling, he had little choice. He planted seeds from the various edible plants he'd discovered, hoping they would yield something eventually. He knew next to nothing about farming.

The herd moved on after a time, and the larger predators went with them, often staying out of his range for weeks at a time. That allowed him to build up a reserve of power as he no longer had to use the shields. Unfortunately, after reviewing the state of his equipment, he realized that more power did not mean he could boost the signal he was transmitting.

Despite that disappointment, however, he had to admit his situation was improving. There was still clean water to drink and enough food stored to last a while when the bushes he currently relied on stopped producing. Other sources of food were available, but rationing would be an issue. From what he could tell, the part of the planet he had crashed on had fairly mild winters. There would be lean times, but he would be able to get through as something edible would always be available.

The lean times came, and much to his surprise, the herd returned. The beast followed after them, with the mini-beasts following cautiously. The coats of the herd animals were growing thicker and shaggier; a likely sign that winter was coming. The beast was as eager to hunt them as ever. Unfortunately, it has lost its aversion to the ship, apparently forgetting its past experiences.

A brief jolt from the shields seemed to remind it, however, and it stomped away. Magnolia checked his supplies. Fortunately, he had topped off his supply of water the day before, but he had only a few berries and a clump or two of edible grasses. There was very little he could do about it, though. He would have to wait out the beast.

Magnolia lowered the shields to conserve power, and kept a careful eye on the beast. It went hunting the herd animals again, and after catching one, settled down nearby to eat. Entirely too nearby for Magnolia's tastes.

He stretched his remaining food and water as best he could, waiting for the beast to travel far enough away for it to be at least possible to risk an excursion. It took three days, but the large predator finally wandered to the very edge of his perceptual range and Magnolia doused himself with what was left of the fruit juice and headed out.

Moving quickly and quietly, he made his way to the berry bushes first, retrieving a good supply before returning to the ship with them. He then headed for the stream with two empty water containers. It was while returning to the ship that something unexpected happened.

During each of his outings, he continuously scanned his surroundings for anything that might be a threat. He'd gotten very good at detecting predatory intent at a distance, and was tracking the beast as a matter of course. When it started back in his direction, something having caught its attention, he increased his pace in an effort to reach the grove in time to at least hide.

It was at that point that he felt active, aware minds in his vicinity. He stopped in his tracks, at a loss for a few precious seconds. Then he raced forward, abandoning the water in favor of speed. Someone else was there, and it was they who had caught the beast's attention.

He reached out to them as he moved through the tall grass toward the grove. He felt a familiar mind respond to his warning. At first there was elation from Sakura at finding him alive; then there was a second of confusion from him and from the aliens accompanying him. Then, finally, there was alarm as the beast thundered onto the scene.

Magnolia could sense Sakura and three aliens clearly. He could almost see them. They were all in motion, running into the grove in an effort to find some shelter. The beast roared, excited at the prospect of a chase and increased its speed.

Two of the aliens stopped running and did something that caused an irritating whine and a bright light. Whatever it was, they seemed to have a lot of confidence in it. That confidence evaporated as the beast roared in anger and increased its pace. Abandoning whatever it was they were doing, they ran for the grove and began weaving between the trees. The one that had not stopped to annoy the beast was coming toward him fast with Sakura trailing a bit behind. That one was clumsily trying to communicate a desire to know his location. Somewhere he she or it had acquired an image of him and was picturing them together.

Sakura echoed that desire and Magnolia responded as he changed course through the tall grass to intercept them. The irritating noise sounded again and the beast roared, sounding entirely too close. It abruptly changed its own course, apparently attempting to head off its fleeing prey. The new heading, unfortunately, took it between Magnolia and his would-be rescuers. It came so close that it nearly stepped on him without noticing.

The alien, whom he could now see thanks to the grass the beast had flattened directly in front of him, was a large bipedal creature that began backing away from the huge predator as quickly as it could. It was forced to dive to one side and roll when the beast snapped at it, the teeth missing by less than a meter. The two remaining aliens distracted it with small machines at the end of their upper extremities. Those machines were the source of the noise and light.

The distraction worked, and the beast turned to attack them. They retreated, still firing what must have been weapons in order to hold its attention. Magnolia could only manage a vague sense of gratitude for their efforts, given that he couldn't seem to move from the spot he'd stopped in, less than half a meter from the patch of grass the beast had flattened.

As soon as the beast had moved away, the alien that had been calling to him emerged from behind a tree and scooped him up in an undignified but effective manner and began running in the opposite direction.

It used one of its extremities to slap at a bit of metal attached to its coverings and spoke rapidly to the air. Seconds later Magnolia felt an odd sensation wash over him and the world dissolved in shimmering light.

When the light faded, Magnolia found himself in an unfamiliar room. He also found that he had wrapped himself around the alien and was clinging to it tightly, not that the alien herself seemed to be in a much better state as she conversed with her fellows. Embarrassed by his reaction, he forced himself to loosen his grip, projecting an apology to the alien.

The alien, whose thoughts and words he could understand with an effort, assured him that she understood his reaction and there was no need for apology. He turned to Sakura who assured him that he'd get a full explanation. For now, however, it might be a good idea to clean up get some rest.

Magnolia thoroughly agreed.


	19. Comparing Notes

See first chapter for disclaimers.

CH. 19 Comparing notes

Magnolia carefully considered the image he was being shown. A flower? He projected a desire for clarification.

Deborah chuckled self-consciously. "It was sort of meant as a joke at the time," she explained. "The juice you'd coated yourself with was very….fragrant. Reminded me of magnolia blossoms." She frowned. "Why did you do that?"

Magnolia, and he supposed it wasn't a bad name, and would make for an amusing story later, projected an image of the beast sneezing explosively and backing away.

"Ah." Deborah nodded as she finished the preparations for dinner. "Clever." She moved on as she brought out the salad they'd be having, and hoping there was enough. "A name is a convenience for us. You don't actually need one, and if you want, you can choose any that appeals." She winced. "I should warn you, though, that names tend to stick. One of your fellow scouts was inadvertently given the name Cactus, and it seems to have spread."

The word cactus was accompanied by an image of a succulent bristling with thorns. Even without the image of the pilot accompanying it, Magnolia had a pretty good idea who the image best fit. He projected an image of the large grey male.

Deborah paused in her work, setting out small capsules to be taken with the meal, and blinked. "Yes. That's him." She felt a wave of amusement from the pilot, followed quickly by one of embarrassment. Deborah nodded. "That's how I feel. Strangely, he doesn't object to the name, seems to approve of it in a way."

Magnolia gave the equivalent of a shrug as he made himself comfortable in the chair the bipeds used. He'd never been able to make much sense of that one. He was withdrawn in a way that made the rest of the scout ship pilots look sociable, and he had never divined any reason for the behavior. If the other pilot didn't mind being associated with a plant bristling with thorns, and Magnolia privately thought it very apt, who was he to complain?

"At this point, the pilots we've met have all got names. And each of those names is some variety of flowering plant. When in large groups, there's no real need for names, but it's still convenient. Humans consider it rude to address someone with the equivalent of 'hey, you.'" She shrugged. "That's what it sometimes feels like." She laid out the last of the dishes, double-checking the number and all of the other preparations for the dinner she was hosting. The food was ready, but she wasn't sure yet how the replicator had faired with some of the Ot'Hessan foodstuffs.

Magnolia projected understanding, and indicated he didn't mind being called Magnolia. He turned his attention to the door to the human doctor's quarters as Aela and Hessa came in. It was strange that the three were referred to and considered themselves to be siblings, but they seemed happy with the situation. Hessa certainly had no complaints.

OOOOOOOOOO

His time aboard the alien ship, Magnolia reflected, had been fairly pleasant so far. Deborah, the female alien he had met on the surface, had offered to take him to her quarters to clean up and rest a bit before meeting with the Ot'Hessan delegation. That had required a bit of explanation. The idea that the People as a whole had taken a name had been and still was beyond strange. Clearly, he had missed a lot during his time away and looked forward to catching up with the others, but he had been determined to make himself present and less smelly first.

The facilities he had been shown to were rather odd, which wasn't a real surprise as they were designed by and for aliens, but another pilot, who had apparently taken the name Hessa, had explained how they worked, promising to explain how she herself had come to be on the ship in due time. Setting all else aside for the moment, Magnolia had begun cleaning himself. It had been a long time without a proper cleaning and simply being rid of dried juice, dirt, and whatever else he might have picked up on that planet made him feel 100% better.

Meeting with the other Ot'Hessan scout pilots and the delegation from the home soil and catching up on current events had been a bit awkward. He'd been on his own, under trying circumstances, for months and found that it was more difficult than ever to relate to his own people. The presence of other sapient minds was disconcerting at first and he pulled in on himself. If any of the others found this odd or even rude, they did not comment.

The suggestion from Sakura that the pilots share memories had been met with reluctance by Cactus and himself. Neither liked the idea one bit. Cactus had been on the ship for just over a month and had managed to avoid doing that without outright refusing. Now, it seemed, he was out of options, and they could all feel his dissatisfaction.

Hessa had reassured them that it wasn't something any of the pilots were terribly comfortable with, but it made the sharing of vital information much easier. There was no chance of something critical being forgotten or accidentally left out. Given that the future of their entire species might be at stake, it was something they should all be willing to endure.

Magnolia had carefully considered this and reluctantly agreed. Computer logs and scan results couldn't tell the entire story. The thoughts and impressions of the person who actually experienced the events provided a component and a perspective, that no technology could reproduce and no dry written report could replace. Such a complete sharing of himself seemed more difficult than ever, but he understood the necessity.

Cactus was more difficult to convince, but he agreed to share his memories of his journey. No one missed the implication, but no one argued the point, either. The other delegates, while part of the Ot'Hessan's space exploration program, were not scout pilots, and the fact that they didn't understand the reluctance was obvious. Two among the group had been candidates at one point, but hadn't made the final cut, unable to endure the lengthy isolation required. That component of the training had left them nearly desperate for the social interaction they had once shunned. They were sympathetic, but could not truly understand the level of resistance that those who had become scout pilots had to the notion of memory sharing. They made this clear.

The questions about the pilots' reasons and motives started an argument, and Hessa had broken in to suggest delaying further discussion on the issue until the next day and invited the scouts to dine with her and her siblings that night. They could continue the discussion on sharing memories after everyone had had a chance to rest and organize their thoughts.

Hessa reasoned that some time without any pressure put on them would help the other scout pilots adjust to the idea. She wasn't fond of the procedure herself, but she saw the necessity of it. The sharing meant opening oneself completely to others, and that was difficult for those with the particular mental aberration they had all been chosen for.

Deborah, when Hessa went to her, had agreed to help, even if she'd have liked more notice. Quickly reviewing the list of safe foods and adding in a few Ot'Hessan delicacies that had been programmed in to the replicators, she settled on a menu and returned to her quarters to get the normally messy place ready for company.

She enlisted Magnolia's help in getting the dinner arranged, as Hessa was busy with the delegates. It didn't take too long to prepare the food and set out what amounted to a picnic. There wasn't room at the table for all of them, so she cleared a space on the floor, and arranged cushions and plates for everyone. She suspected that she and Aela would miss most of the conversation. Although they had gotten better at understanding the projections used by the Ot'Hessan, it was still imprecise. She hoped that wouldn't prove awkward for their guests.

Magnolia had arrived at her door shortly after she had returned to her quarters and assisted in arranging the dinner. He had a few suggestions for the menu, arranged the settings with plates for the food and bowls of water. He also tasted the replicator's attempts at Ot'Hessan cuisine and pronounced them good if not the best he'd had. Deborah had asked about fruit juice, but had quickly retracted the suggestion at Magnolia's heartfelt shudder and the projected emotion that accompanied it.

"Right. No fruit juice."

Between them, they had everything ready by the time the other scout pilots arrived. At Hessa's urging, everyone settled in a circle on the floor, next to their plates. The pilots coiled on the cushions Deborah had provided, while she sat cross legged. Aela chose to lie on her stomach with her chin resting on crossed arms on the pillow. Deborah thought that looked more comfortable, but held her pose.

She welcomed the guests and indicated that the pilots should help themselves from the foods on offer. Several bowls and platters were set in the middle of the circle Magnolia had arranged on the floor. Small dishes of a variety of sauces were set around the edge, including tabasco, tartar sauce, soy sauce, and melted chocolate. Deborah and Aela watched leafy vegetables and sauce bowls float around the room with some fascination. Species with telekinetic abilities were, after all, rather rare.

The pilots found this a bit amusing, as it was all perfectly normal to them. Hessa lifted several of the sauce bowls into the air and set them to rotating above Aela's head, making the girl giggle. After a moment or two of this, the others chided Hessa for playing with her food and began asking for the sauces back. She set them down and began to eat, putting a bit of tartar sauce on the corn she'd selected for herself.

Sakura eyed the chocolate speculatively and projected a question to Deborah.

"The chocolate isn't poisonous, but it will give you a bit of indigestion. I've been over it with Pepper and we worked out the interaction with your biology."

OOOOOOOOOO

Three of the Ot'Hessan delegates watched the proceedings with interest. Deborah sat with the Ot'Hessan physician resting on the back of her chair so they could both see the screen displaying the test results. "It's not an allergy, then." Deborah frowned at the screen. "It seems that your people simply have trouble digesting chocolate. It isn't so bad that it is inedible, but it takes a while for your digestive systems to process it."

The healer projected agreement, and asked a question that Deborah didn't understand. Deborah frowned in confusion she didn't need to voice. After a moment's consideration, the healer manipulated the controls to print out the question on the screen. 'Can something be added to it to make it more digestible?'

"Not without affecting the taste, healer. However, the necessary enzymes in a gel capsule, taken with the meal would work. The gel disguises the taste going down and dissolves in the stomach. Eat chocolate within an hour after that and you shouldn't have any problems." She glanced at the healer. "Yes. That should work. Isolating the enzymes will be the tricky part. Don't know if we'll be able to replicate them when we do. Ready to get started?"

The healer projected agreement and the two set to work. An Ot'Hessan biologist added a few suggestions along the way. The only other to contribute was a biochemist that was there more because of her hobby than her vocation. She was a chef, for lack of a better word. The Ot'Hessan did not cook their food, but the preparation and presentation of food was as much an art to the female as it was to any human gourmet. The idea of making some of the problematic alien foods edible, expanding the culinary horizons of his people, was an irresistible challenge.

She had some suggestions regarding the specific enzymes necessary and the composition of the gel to ensure that it was both harmless and tasteless. Between the four of them, they made good progress. That progress was hampered somewhat by misunderstandings regarding who was speaking, and Deborah's tendency to label them in her mind, with descriptions if nothing else.

After a few confusing misunderstandings, the healer suggested that they take names. Deborah thought a moment. Aela usually did the naming. "Hmm. A medicinal herb, perhaps?" She thought for a moment. "Peppermint fits the bill, as it's traditionally been used for treating pain and soothing troubled stomachs, but it's also used to make candy. It might get shortened to Pepper, come to think of it."

This had provoked several questions about peppermint and pepper. While the biologist and the chef found the label, pepper, highly amusing, the healer asked for other suggestions.

Deborah thought a moment. "Well, there's Hibiscus. Beautiful flower with medicinal uses."

The healer thought about it a moment and decided to accept Peppermint as a name, and agreed after a moment's teasing that Pepper was an acceptable shortening.

The biochemist chef was easier to name, as a possibility presented itself almost immediately. "Rosemary." At their curious projections, she explained that it was an herb commonly used in cooking as well as being a common name among human women.

The chef approved it immediately.

That left the biologist. Recalling that Hessa and Sakura had gotten their names because of their coloring, she suggested Aster. An image of the flower accompanied the name. The biologist considered it and accepted the name.

Things proceeded more smoothly after that, and within three hours, they had a series of simulations running on the computer. It would take a few days to iron out the details, but they were confident they could come up with something.

OOOOOOOOOO

"We hit a snag or two along the way, but the enzyme is ready and thoroughly tested. That's what the gel capsules are." She pointed to the small capsules on each of the pilots' plates. Hessa's was already gone. There was a surge of satisfaction from her sister as Hessa dribbled a little chocolate sauce on her corn and began to eat with relish.

"Has there been any news about the Federation trying to help the Ot'Hessan?" Aela asked. The pilots perked up at this.

"Nothing new about the planets." Deborah shook her head. "That matter is still under debate, but arrangements are being made to provide assistance in relocating as many people as possible as soon as you have somewhere to go."

"So are there any good planets?" she asked.

Magnolia projected a qualified yes. The qualification had to do with the state of the planets he'd found. He had asked that the planet, which the Enterprise still orbited, be examined with their technology to see if it might make a good home for the Ot'Hessan.

Picard had, Deborah admitted, taken a little convincing, but saw the advantage in examining the planet they were orbiting. It had a good climate, compatible organisms for food, and a lot of large animal and even larger predators. They had found what might be a suitable island or two with no large predators, but space was rather limited. On the mainland or on some of the larger islands, there were creatures they would definitely have trouble coping with.

It was not ideal, but it was better by far than some of the worlds the scouts had found.

Magnolia shared a few stories of his time on the planet, not making light of his situation, but not seeking pity either. He moved on to his tale of the world that didn't spin and his hopes for a small colony there. The others found that promising.

Deborah noted that tidally locked worlds weren't rare, but weren't all that common either. She knew of mining colonies on one or two. She told them what she knew and promised to have the computer pull up information about such planets that might prove useful.

The damaged scout ship had been salvaged via the transporter, and the information stored in its computers would be accessible soon. That combined with the data from Sakura's and Cactus' ships held some promise. The captain would, no doubt, have people going over the data. She didn't know if the Enterprise would actually visit the world in question, but it was more or less on their way. In the interest of saving time, he might well take a detour on the way back to the Ot'Hessan home world.

Deborah glanced at Cactus. "What about your trip, Cactus? Find any suitable worlds?"

Cactus projected affirmation and everyone waited expectantly for him to continue. After a moment, he reluctantly continued. He had visited a total of five systems. Two of them showed some promise.

OOOOOOOOOO

The first system had contained nothing. Barren rocks wouldn't sustain the People, so he moved on. It had taken him nearly three weeks to reach it, but hoping to find a solution in the first system was beyond optimistic. The second system had five planets, only one of which was in the habitable zone. He entered orbit in order to take a closer look and discovered a very nice planet. Lots of water and vegetation. Unfortunately, it also had a native population. That automatically ruled it out, and he moved on.

System number three had only one possibility. The fourth planet was mostly desert, with three small and extremely salty seas. The atmosphere was thin but breathable. He landed near one of the seas to test the air, water, and soil.

The water was perfectly useable, or would be after some filtering. The sea contained a few local life forms, but nothing threatening, which was a plus. The soil supported course and extremely hardy plants, none of which were edible. Tests revealed that the nutrients necessary to grow anything from the home world were extremely rare. It would require massive amounts of time and effort to eke out a living on the planet.

While it would be possible to make the planet more hospitable, it would take time the People didn't have. He faithfully recorded the results of the tests and the conclusions he'd drawn based on them and his own impressions. Then, he moved on.

It took almost a month to reach the fourth system. There were only three planets, but there were eleven moons between them, and two of those looked capable of supporting life. The planets themselves were unsuitable. Two had poisonous atmospheres. The third had an atmosphere that was breathable if a bit heavy on the carbon dioxide. It was mostly covered by water save for a few volcanoes, all of which were active and more than half of which were erupting and pouring toxic fumes into the atmosphere. It was worth making note of, but he saw little future there.

The two moons that caught his attention orbited the second planet. The first he examined had a breathable atmosphere, but it was mostly barren. The green areas he could see surrounded two small seas. He began to descend, but he received a transmission that sounded mechanical and automated. The same series of sounds that he assumed were words repeated over and over. Clearly, the moon had been claimed by someone. He had no idea what the message meant and was not really equipped for first contact or a confrontation of any sort.

He pulled up out of the atmosphere and headed for the other moon. That one, he quickly learned, was also claimed. The same automated message was being broadcast. Recording his findings and all relevant data about the system, he moved on.

Knowing that it would take quite a while to reach the fifth system on his list, he fell into the routine that had served him so well during his earlier journey. He reviewed the data he had collected and compared it to everything that had been known about the systems before he began the trip.

Organizing the data took a fair amount of time, interspersed with routine diagnostics and necessary maintenance. He slept and ate according to a rigid schedule, resisting the urge to spend long periods of time sleeping as he knew some pilots would. It had always been so for him. It was rigid adherence to the standards he set for himself that kept him strong on his own. It was the only way he knew how to be.

He honestly didn't know why he isolated himself. The warmth of the Whole was as comforting to him as to any of the People, but the white noise generated by the presence of too many minds was an irritant to him. He had always been able to think more clearly when he was away from large concentrations of people. He did miss the home world and the warmth of the Whole, but his current mission allowed him to stretch his mind and abilities in ways he'd never anticipated.

He kept the ship running smoothly and had produced the most detailed reports he was able, given the resources he had. There was little hope for a colony on any of the worlds he had checked, but there was some.

The scout ship's systems were not intended for long-range scanning, but he took as close a look as he could at any systems that came into range. As yet, he hadn't seen anything that would justify a change in course. He'd seen three stars with no planets, two red giants that seemed to be cooling, and two others with no planets in the habitable zone.

The fifth system proved to have some promise. The second planet was smack in the middle of the habitable zone. It had two oceans and several large rivers. He detected no artificial signals on approach, but that didn't necessarily mean it was uninhabited.

Entering low orbit, he began scanning for signs of civilization. It took a few hours, but he found several roving bands of large creatures. He risked entering the atmosphere for a closer look and increased the magnification as much as he could, gaining an excellent vantage on one of the larger bands.

They were quadrupeds, and might have simply been roving herd animals, but their formation was very orderly, and they showed evidence of cooperation one didn't normally see in animals. Seeing two of them working together to start a fire made it clear they were intelligent.

He spent two days checking over the planet and found roving bands of the creatures were widespread on two of the three continents. The third and smallest in the southern hemisphere showed no signs of them, as they were separated by ocean on all sides. He searched from the air, but found none of the quadrupeds there. Picking several promising looking locations, he moved from one to the other. There was water, good soil, and while many of the plants were inedible, the soil did have the nutrients necessary to grow things from the home world. There were native animal species that might prove problematic, he noted, but nothing unmanageable. This was a real possibility. There was a formidable mountain range taking up some space on the continent, but even that had its uses. It wasn't enough room for the entire population, but a colony of several hundred thousand could be established with room to grow.

He spent six days running tests and making observations, gathering every bit of information he could. He was preparing to leave when his sensors picked up another space vehicle approaching.

OOOOOOOOOO

"So, some promising options," Aela summed up the story. Cactus thought a moment before projecting agreement. The goal was to relocate the entire species to one world, but establishing colonies on several planets was a viable option.

"Well, the scientists on the Enterprise and on your home world will be going over every bit of data. We'll find you a suitable home or homes." Deborah smiled at the group with certainty.

"A couple of the places you and the other pilots found might make good places to keep some people," Aela suggested. "Temporarily."

Cactus acknowledged that that might be true. There might be useable islands on the world where Magnolia had been marooned. The world that didn't rotate showed promise as well. Even the desert world could be made useable.

The food slowly disappeared as the evening passed and ideas were exchanged. There were worlds that might be suitable for permanent homes or temporary evacuation points. There were inhabited worlds, Deborah allowed, that might welcome them. It would be a massive undertaking, but they could relocate the Ot'Hessan.

Eventually, the food was gone and the guests were tired and ready to leave. Aela had drifted off about an hour before, still lying on the floor where she'd made herself comfortable. Deborah saw their guests out and put away the dishes with Hessa's help.

When the cleaning was done, Hessa stretched out on the floor near Aela, who hadn't stirred the entire time, while Deborah headed for her bed. It had, she reflected, been a good, productive evening.

OOOOOOOOOO

"The data gathered from the scouts suggests a few possibilities," Data addressed the senior officers and guests. "The instrumentation available to the scouts is limited. They do not have the means to conduct the kind of thorough analysis that the Federation conducts before establishing a colony. We have conducted our own scans, however, in each of the systems and combined that with the data gathered by the scouts. The tidally locked world that Magnolia visited is a suitable place for establishing a small colony, but it would not hold a population of more than five million at most. The twilight zone is too narrow, and arable land is in short supply. Terraforming can increase the amount of useable land, but it will take time."

"A possibility nonetheless." Picard nodded. "What about the world we found Cactus orbiting?"

"That world has what appears to be a native intelligence, although the species appears extremely primitive. This would rule the world out as a possibility for a Federation colony, but the Ot'Hessan are not part of the Federation." Picard acknowledged the point and gestured for him to continue. He brought up an image of the world and began displaying images. "The smallest of the three continents has promise, as none of the natives live there, but it will not support their entire population. It is roughly half the size of Australia on Earth. Our scans revealed a few islands that might be suitable as well, but a more thorough analysis will be needed."

"That will be up to the Ot'Hessan, of course." Picard nodded. "What about the world where we found Magnolia?"

"There are a total of five islands that might be suitable as colony sites," Data continued. "Three of these form a chain with roughly the same amount of land as Hawaii on Earth. The other two are in a different hemisphere. I estimate that they could support a population of roughly two million with current technology providing food and materials. If they have to rely on more primitive means, growing all of their own food, the number that could be supported drops considerably."

"Any hope for that desert world Cactus found?" Riker asked.

"In time," Data said, nodding. "With sufficient terraforming, but it will be a massive effort. Virtually everything needed will have to be imported from elsewhere, based on the readings he took. It is doubtful if the world would be worth the effort, and the Ot'Hessan do not have the time to wait for even early results of terraforming."

"It is a beginning," the captain allowed, "but including each of those, it doesn't make a dent in the total population."

"If the entire population is to be evacuated by the deadline," Data noted, "we must begin now."

The command crew nodded in agreement. "We will present all options to the Ot'Hessan ruling council. Based on their decision, we will do what we can to assist. The latest message from Starfleet indicates that the Federation has pledged its support in that much, even if the fate of a possible world inside the Federation borders is still up in the air."

Sakura manipulated the controls on the pad he was using, sending a message to the screen. "Whatever aid you can grant will be gratefully accepted."


	20. Options

See Ch. 1 for disclaimers.

CH. 20; Options

There remained one pilot left to find. It would take them, Data reported, nearly two weeks to reach the nearest system the pilot was likely to have reached, but it would be quicker than returning to the Ot'Hessan home-world and tracing the path the scout had been assigned to follow.

The journey was delayed by brief surveys of the worlds the scouts had found that might be suitable colony sites. None had the potential for more than a small colony, at least not without some work. Still, they were a beginning. More importantly, none of them were anywhere near Skreelii space.

The size of the potential colonies was a problem. Picard doubted that the people would want to divide themselves in such a manner. He didn't really understand what Aela had translated as 'the warmth of the whole,' but he suspected it would be greatly reduced in a colony of only a few thousand souls.

With several stops along the way, it took the _Enterprise_ almost a month to locate the last scout ship, but the retrieval of the pilot was uneventful. The small, dusky red female Ot'Hessan was found in the ninth system on her list, surveying an L class world that looked inviting at first glance, but was incapable of supporting compatible life-forms for food. It would seem that the Ot'Hessan had never encountered a world like it. She had initially landed in a richly forested valley and was growing quite frustrated by the time they found her. After running exhaustive tests at various points across the planet's surface, she had come to the conclusion that the place was a waste of time. Nothing compatible would grow in the soil, and most of the vegetation was poisonous to the People.

The pilot took the name Lily when she learned what seemed to becoming a tradition among the spacefaring members of her species. She informed the delegation that the class L planet was the most promising world she had found. Otherwise, the journey had been quite boring, a statement that provoked a bit of envy among the other scout pilots.

With their task completed, the _Enterprise_ set course for the Ot'Hessan home-world. There was plenty of time for Lily to acclimate and renew her acquaintance with the other pilots. They were disappointed that she had found nothing, but glad that her trip had been uneventful. She came to be glad of that as well after hearing the stories the other scouts had to tell.

Lily was favorably impressed with the _Enterprise_ and her crew. Being an engineer, she was fascinated by every aspect of the ship. Engines weren't her specialty, but the speeds at which the ship could travel without putting strain on the structure amazed her. Inertial dampeners and structural integrity fields were not unknown to the Ot'Hessan, of course, but Federation technology was light-years ahead.

She quickly grew close to Martin Taliaferro when she learned of his work, and with the captain's permission, the two spent hours working together on Martin's scheme to make Skyhome more stable so it could travel at higher speeds. She was impressed with what he'd achieved, but had to correct some of his basic misconceptions about the structural engineering technology, materials and practices used by the Ot'Hessan. It wasn't too much of a setback, however. Between them, they made good progress toward the goal of moving Skyhome safely. To the amazement of some of Martin's colleagues, she actually found his singing and odd sense of humor enjoyable.

"Statistically, someone had to." Data observed when Geordi expressed bafflement over that.

OOOOOOOOOO

"This should give us an idea of whether or not it will work." Martin finished entering the last few commands and ran the holodeck program he and Lily had prepared. They entered and looked about. "Looks good. Let's have a seat and get started."

When Geordi La Forge entered the holodeck three hours later in search of his wayward engineer, he was met with a sight that took him a little time to assimilate. He seemed to be standing in open space. Before him was a scale version of SkyHome. Voices came from the far side of the station and he circled it carefully, feeling only slightly disoriented by the fact that he appeared to be in open space. He recognized the first voice as belonging to Martin. The other was synthesized and adjusted to sound female.

"We can't maintain the energy output. If it drops below half the needed output, the stress levels on that section go to critical scary fast." Martin sounded a bit frustrated.

"And it would only be a matter of time before it breached if pushed past warp 1.5," the other agreed. "There are only so many ways to reinforce SkyHome."

"Agreed." The synthesized voice was not good at expressing emotion, but Geordi could feel the frustration in the air. "Maintaining a structural integrity field encompassing something as large and irregularly shaped would take a lot of power, and even that won't solve the entire problem."

"Your notion of multiple field generators might work if-"

"What in the world?" Geordi rounded the scale image of SkyHome to find the two seated on what looked like a park bench. It was constructed of wrought iron and a number of lengths of sanded and polished oak. It looked rather comfortable, actually.

"Commander?" Martin blinked in surprise. "Sorry, sir. Were you looking for me?"

"You've gone a bit over your scheduled time on the holodeck." Geordi told him. "Your shift starts in 20 minutes." He glanced about the artificial star-field and then back at the bench that seemed to be floating in the void. "What are you doing?"

"We're working on SkyHome's structural integrity problem." He stood up and Lily shifted the translator she was using to her back and flowed off the bench to the deck. "So far, we've found several ways to reinforce their tech, but nothing that's quite good enough." He walked around the image pointing out key structural points. "We either run up against the limits of their own field generators, the differences between our tech that make integration impractical, or we hit a wall with the power requirements." He shook his head. "It's frustrating, sir, but we'll crack it." He glanced at Lily. "The problem, not SkyHome."

Geordi picked up enough of the projection to know that the response to that was sarcastic. "It'll have to wait, I'm afraid."

"Right, commander." He looked at Lily. We'll pick this up after my shift. Drop by my quarters?" Lily projected agreement.

OOOOOOOOOO

The _Enterprise_ arrived at SkyHome after more than three months away and was warmly greeted. The ruling council of the Ot'Hessan was eager to learn what their scouts had discovered. The _Enterprise_' crew noticed that the Ot'Hessan had not been idle in their absence. The other scouts sent out had not discovered any suitable worlds, but they had found a few options.

One of those was an abandoned space station. It was damaged, but it could be repaired. It was large enough to hold almost 75,000 Ot'Hessan with some room to grow. The world it orbited was a desolate wasteland, but had once been inhabited. The scout had been unable to determine what had happened there.

The _Enterprise'_ specialists prepared a thorough report on each of the possible habitable worlds they had visited. While none would take their entire population, it would be possible to establish small colonies. The high council was not enamored of the idea, but they knew time was running out and that options were limited. They had completed two of the transport ships under construction while the _Enterprise_ had been away and were ready to send them on their maiden voyages. Each of the vessels was designed to use a crew of 400, and could carry 5,000 passengers. The ships were designed to easily sustain warp 4. The remaining transport would be finished in five months.

They just needed to decide where to send them and make the necessary preparations. The station at the system's edge was also near completion and currently housed 3,000 Ot'Hessan, many of them workers finishing the station, and stargazers already making use of the sensor array to search for other viable worlds. While not the equal of the Federation's Argus array, it was quite impressive. The high council took all of the data presented to them and went into a closed session. Picard, fortunately, had one additional option to put before the council.

A week before their arrival at SkyHome, he had received a message from Starfleet Command. The two planets being considered for the Ot'Hessan resettlement were both good matches, but the one that offered the best chance, having far more native compatible plants and soil best suited to growing the Ot'Hessan imports, also had the harsher climate and more rugged conditions. The settlers being prepared for that world had chosen it for that reason. They were drawn from a segment of the Federations population that believed modern life had made them soft. They sought a simpler existence that required them to live by their wits and personal strength.

The Federation official who had approached them and explained the Ot'Hessan's plight had convinced the group's leader, a man name Keith Frasier, to review the situation. In due course, he made an offer. They felt that sharing their knowledge and resources would make it possible to turn the planet into the kind of paradise the would-be settlers knew it could be. They wanted to meet the Ot'Hessan first, though.

The man organizing the settlers was something of a Luddite and a survivalist. The people he'd gathered were prepared to build their colony from the ground up with little Federation assistance. He was more than willing to share the planet they'd selected, if he was convinced that their two races could work together.

He invited representatives of the Ot'Hessan to meet with him and the others organizing the colony. Based on the outcome of the meeting, an invitation would be issued for all of the Ot'Hessan to resettle. It was quite a distance away, and would take time to get there. However, it was the best hope for the resettlement of the entire population. It would take the _Enterprise_ two months at warp 5 to reach the colony that Frasier and his people were in the early stages of establishing, and Starfleet was starting to fidget over having their flagship tied up on a single mission for so long.

Relocating the entire population would take a massive effort, and time was running out. Picard knew the timetable had worked out exactly how long it would take the Ot'Hessan to do it themselves. There just wasn't time. Even with Federation assistance, it would be a huge investment in time and resources. Data, with his grasp of all the facts and figures involved, had devised the most efficient plan possible for the evacuation.

The Ot'Hessan council knew this and had all the facts and options at their disposal. The only logical solution would come to them, Picard was certain. In the meantime, he turned his attention to the preparations the Ot'Hessan had made. Their transports were impressive crafts, designed for moving people. The size, and therefore, the number of people they could move was limited primarily by technological limitations, as they could have built larger ships, capable of moving more people, but the speed and efficiency would have suffered.

There were now, he learned, more than 80 caverns across the planet capable of sustaining large populations. The smallest of these could shelter and provide for 12,000 people. The largest would hold almost 1,000,000. Construction was continuing. Even as the high council deliberated, the transports were being outfitted and stocked, and the colonists selected.

Having helped to establish several Federation colonies over the course of his career, Picard offered what advice he could, discovering that the Ot'Hessan had planned quite thoroughly and were moving toward completion of their various goals with an efficiency that impressed him. The speed and efficiency with which the colony preparations came together was something to behold. While his experience did allow them to avoid a few pitfalls, it was obvious that they could have managed the effort without his input.

It took two days for the council to reach a decision. Picard suspected it had more to do with pride, and the need to accept so much outside help than it did with studying the options available to them. When the council did emerge from their deliberations, they asked that a meeting be arranged between their delegation and the Federation colonists led by Keith Frasier. They were prepared to dispatch one of their explorer ships once the meeting was arranged.

Picard pointed out that the _Enterprise_ had to return to Federation space regardless and could travel at much higher speeds than the explorer ships, even though the breakthroughs that Taliaferro had made with Lily's assistance would allow the explorer ships to nearly double the speed at which they could safely travel. The _Enterprise_ could easily take the delegation at least part of the way, and rendezvous with another Starfleet vessel that would finish the journey. That would free the explorer ships to begin moving people to the temporary colony sites the council had selected.

The council agreed and set about selecting the delegation. Hessa's inclusion was no surprise, nor was Sakura's. The other scouts were assigned duties regarding the colonization effort, guiding them in the efforts to settle the worlds they had discovered. A junior member of the council, who took the name Vitex for the convenience of their Federation friends, was also selected, as were Rosemary, Aster and Peppermint. Twenty others were selected for their expertise in various fields.

The _Enterprise_ prepared to leave once the delegation was arranged, with five exceptions. Ensign Martin Taliaferro asked to remain on SkyHome so that he could continue his work on the problem of moving the huge station safely. Captain Picard agreed and made him part of the diplomatic team he was assigning.

Lieutenant Evelyn Anders, an anthropologist with some first contact experience under her belt, was made a temporary ambassador until the Federation could assign someone permanently to the position. She had selected two others, a linguist and a historian, to assist her in studying Ot'Hessan culture and history. After considering the engineering challenges the people faced, Geordi asked Ensign Kelly Simons to accompany Martin, as she had written some impressive papers on shields, inertial dampeners and structural integrity fields, and how they worked in concert. He asked rather than ordered, as there was no telling how long the group would be out of direct contact with the Federation.

Deborah approached first Beverly Crusher as her immediate superior, and then the captain to request permission to accompany her sister to the meeting with Frasier. She and Aela were best equipped to act as translators even with the newly developed devices which, to be honest, were a bit awkward for the Ot'Hessan to use. The captain agreed readily, having already suspected she would volunteer.

By the time the _Enterprise_ was ready to depart, two explorer ships were already on their way to the tidally locked world in order to establish the first Ot'Hessan colony. Another ship, carrying engineers and scientists, was on its way to the space station that had been discovered in order to assess its condition and begin making repairs if it was a viable location. It would also make an excellent staging area for further exploration, especially if the station had long range sensors or data in its computers that would help to locate suitable worlds.

The council was following the plan Picard had proposed with a few modifications. They knew their own strengths and the limits of their tech and resources better than Federation did. Establishing even one colony on an alien world in under a year was almost ludicrously optimistic, but they had no choice.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Course laid in, sir," the ensign at the helm reported.

"Engage." The ship leapt forward at warp 5, and Picard glanced at his first officer. "This has been an interesting mission, number one."

"Definitely, sir. Not over by a long shot, though. The Federation is going to be busy with the Ot'Hessan for some time to come."

The captain nodded. They did indeed have a long road ahead of them. "I think they'll make fine Federation members someday."

"I don't doubt it," Riker agreed. "I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out."

OOOOOOOOOO

"So we're leaving the _Enterprise_?"

Deborah nodded. "Hessa is going to be speaking for her people to the head of the colony world we hope to resettle the Ot'Hessan on. You and I are going with her."

"As long as we're together." Aela shrugged. "Don't want to leave you two."

Deborah smiled and gave her adoptive sister a hug. "No worries there. I don't want to leave you two either." She looked over at Hessa, and then back at Aela, as she made herself comfortable at the table where they had just settled down for dinner. "We rendezvous with the _Missouri_ in three days. That ship will be carrying the delegation to our meeting with Frasier and our first view of the new world we hope to settle the Ot'Hessan on. The trip will take three weeks at warp 5."

"Getting all of them moved in time isn't going to be easy." Aela sighed.

Deborah nodded in agreement. "True. Don't worry, though. We'll find a way."

"I can do simple math," Aela said, a bit sourly at what she perceived to be condescension. "I know how fast the explorer ships can go, how many people they can carry, and how many there are to move. Even with Federation help, is there really going to be time? How many ships can the Federation put into moving them?"

"That I don't know," Deborah admitted with a slight frown. She glanced at Hessa. "The people being moved off world to the newly planned colonies will be a big help, but it will still be a very tight schedule. I looked at the plans for the underground shelters, which I know are still under construction and being expanded. They'll protect millions of people even after the surface becomes unhealthy."

Hessa projected agreement. The plans the People had made would safeguard millions, but not the whole population. Federation help would be crucial. They might have had a chance on their own if they had been able to crack the suspended animation problem, but Deborah and Geordi La Forge had both examined their tech and told them that they were at least 40 years away from making that work.

While the Federation had the technology, they hadn't had to use it in a very long time. They were willing to share, but the People's physiology was very different and wouldn't tolerate the process that worked on humans and most similar races. Modifying that process was possible, Deborah had said, but they would basically have to start from the beginning. It wasn't worth the time and effort for what would basically be a means of storing people.

The Ot'Hessan, and she still wasn't quite used to thinking of herself that way, were prepared to be pragmatic about it. Storing people, as her human sister had put it, would save space and resources, allowing them to preserve more lives. The explorer ships would have been able to move several times the number of colonists. The point, after all, was to get as much done as possible before they were forced to use the word 'refugees.'

Deborah understood that. She sympathized, but she could not find a way to make the technology work. She also couldn't push Starfleet to do more than they already were. The situation was frustrating, but they were all doing the best they could.

"There are other options," Deborah smiled. "We'll find a way." Hessa looked up, surprised. "No. You weren't projecting, but I could still feel you brooding." She grew serious. "The plans for the caverns your people are excavating are being shared around. There are mining engineers who can help to speed up the process and make it safer. Temporary refuges can be set up on any number of Federation worlds. Your people will be scattered. Probably for years, but they'll survive."

"That's what's important." Aela nodded. "You might not see your friends and family there for a while, but they'll be okay. Knowing that has to be worth something." Hessa projected agreement. "Good, and don't forget you've got family here."

Fond satisfaction radiated from Hessa, and the three tucked into their dinner. Hessa was enjoying a green salad sprinkled with ground up pecans. Aela and Deborah were enjoying a beef stew. While it smelled good, Hessa admitted, the beef would have made her sick. She wondered about the tastes that went with those smells, but she couldn't satisfy her curiosity.

As she ate, she reflected on the situation and the solutions they'd discussed. It would take time. Her people would be fragmented as never before, and she had no idea how that would affect them. There was a reason her people had never traveled very far from the home-world. She knew her sisters didn't understand the 'warmth of the whole,' and she honestly couldn't expect them to understand.

It wasn't merely telepathy and empathy. The sense of belonging, of being complete, couldn't really be understood by outsiders. Hessa had spoken at length with members of the different species she had met on the _Enterprise_ about their cultures and history. She had tried to explain the warmth of the whole to several of them. Even the telepathic ones were confused by her explanation.

However it was described, it couldn't be replicated in small groups. The explorer ships her people built had carried large crews by necessity. Colonies, even if they were tens of thousands strong, couldn't replicate the warmth of the whole. She had little doubt her people would survive, but she couldn't begin to guess how this would change them. It worried her, and she doubted the council was unaware of the potential consequences.

Captain Picard, she suspected, believed that most of the delays in the council's decision had to do with pride, and that was probably part of it, but like the other members of his crew, he didn't understand. Much of the council's time had likely been taken up with trying to ameliorate the effect of the lengthy separation. In the end, it wouldn't matter. The survival of the people had to come first. However that affected them would be preferable to extinction.

Such thoughts wouldn't help solve the problem, Hessa knew. There were no easy answers, and brooding wouldn't help. If the council couldn't figure it out, she didn't have much chance.

After a moment's thought, she decided to speak to Vitex. Maybe he could offer some reassurance, unlikely as that seemed. Hessa knew she wasn't stupid, but she also wasn't vain enough to think she could devise a solution to something that the council couldn't.

_I'll just have to hope for the best_.


	21. Diverging Paths

See Ch. 1 for disclaimers.

CH. 21 Diverging Paths

The _Missouri_ was not a grand ship, by any means. An old Nebula class vessel, one of the first of its class, it had been relegated to courier duty due to its age. Normally, the _Missouri_ carried cargos that were time sensitive and required a degree of security above what a cargo ship could provide. The Ot'Hessan' plight certainly qualified as time sensitive. While the facilities for passengers were not elaborate or extensive, that didn't bother the delegation.

Their main interest was in reaching the planet the Federation colonists, organized by Keith Frasier, had named UdyAna in as little time as possible. The _Missouri_ had Starfleet's permission to violate the warp speed limit and could reach the colony in just under 10 days. The delegates and their escorts settled in to their accommodations and made themselves comfortable before gathering to review the information they'd been provided.

"Not sure why they picked that name," Deborah said, setting aside the pad containing the planetary survey report and glancing at the delegates who were settled around a table in the ship's mess for a meal. "Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue." Out of curiosity, she picked up the pad and ran a search of the computer's linguistic database. "Let's see." It took a moment to pull up the most likely meaning. "Huh. That's appropriate. Says here that it means 'garden' in Sanskrit."

"Sanskrit?" Aela asked.

"It's a dead language from my home world. Hasn't been spoken in… I don't know how long, actually."

"Why use it then?"

Some of the delegation expressed interest as well, finding it odd that there would be more than one language for a given species. They also wanted to know how a language could be considered 'dead.'

Deborah hesitated over that. "I'm not sure why they used a Sanskrit word. As to why there is more than one language on a planet… That's a long explanation I'm in no way qualified to give." Even if she knew, how could she explain it to a people that didn't have a spoken language? Her confusion and hesitation must have come through loud and clear, as the members of the delegation dismissed the matter, assuring her it was unimportant.

"I'd be curious to hear what answer a linguist would give you." Deborah admitted, setting down the pad again. "As to 'dead language', that just means a language that no one uses anymore. Either because the culture that used it has vanished or the language has changed so dramatically over time that the original can be considered a separate language." She shrugged. "A linguist could probably explain that better, too.

"At any rate, we should be reaching udyAna in about nine days. That'll give any of you who haven't used the translators before a chance to practice. I know they're a bit awkward." Four members of the delegation carried the bulky devices. They weren't very efficient, in the opinion of the Ot'Hessan that used them. The synthesized voice did not convey emotion at all, and emotion was an important part of their language. Their written language had taken time to decipher primarily because it was full of what the linguists aboard the _Enterprise_ referred to, for lack of a better term, as 'accent marks' that could not be effectively reproduced by the translator. Those marks tried and generally failed to communicate emotions and impressions.

There was a little grumbling over the need for them. "I know they're far from ideal, but they will get the bare bones of your message across."

"Bare bones?" Aela still wasn't really used to the way humans said things. "Ew."

Deborah smothered a laugh. It really was kind of gross when taken literally. "It means essentials. Bare minimum."

"Why not just say so, then?" a synthesized voice asked from across the table.

"It's just an expression, Vitex. I'm not sure how it got started. There are weirder ones you'll hear dealing with humans."

Hessa projected confirmation and Aela rolled her eyes. "Understatement."

Deborah chuckled and moved on to a new topic. "Keith Frasier doesn't have much use for modern technology. He tends to prefer living simply off the land when possible. The colonists he has gathered share his opinions. We'll be meeting at the site they've chosen to establish their town. Construction is already well under way. It's in a river valley a few degrees south of the planet's equator." She used the pad to pull up an image of the planet and of the valley where the initial colony site was being built. "There's plenty of land fit for farming, and the mountain range nearby is rich in various ores and minerals. There's a desert to the south of the valley, and the river leads to one of the planet's three oceans. Scans show the planet should have everything you need to build the crystal structures you're used to."

There was a general feeling of approval and relief from the Ot'Hessan.

"They've provided what data there is on the planet itself on the planetary survey. It's going to be a challenge starting over there, but I'm sure you'll rise to the challenge. And you won't be alone. The human colonists there will be working to tame that planet as well; find and develop local food crops, deal with local pests and diseases. That sort of thing."

"Then we should start reviewing the reports." Vitex suited actions to words as a pad floated toward him and propped itself up in front of him. The others did the same, pulling pads from the pile on the table. They didn't need one for each delegation member. The Ot'Hessan piled together, sharing their knowledge of what each could perceive, offering thoughts, feelings and opinions about what those actually reading the report could see.

Deborah moved through the report to find the section on identified pathogens. UdyAna needed to be examined for potential threats to all of its new inhabitants. There were, she noted, several strains of bacteria already identified, but they were nothing the standard antibiotics couldn't handle in humans. On another pad, she pulled up information on Ot'Hessan biology and began looking for potential problems.

OOOOOOOOOO

Lieutenant Evelyn Anders ducked to pass through the entrance to the office space she'd been assigned. SkyHome was many things, but it was not made for 5'4" bipedal individuals. They had carefully mapped the route from the shuttle craft that was serving as the diplomatic team's quarters, to the central area where the majority of her research was to be conducted. It was a bit round-about, as they had to use routes that were normally reserved for cargo and heavy equipment. The shuttle left for their use was both more comfortable and more convenient, but it was best to conduct the observations and interviews she needed aboard SkyHome in a place where the Ot'Hessan felt at home.

Evelyn found that she liked the Ot'Hessan; there was no denying that. There was much about them, however, that she did not understand. Hopefully, that would change over the next few weeks. Her thoughts of the day's schedule and her future course of study ground to a halt when she saw what was happening in the room.

"King's knight to queen's bishop three." Martin moved the chess piece as he spoke and settled back on the cushion he was sitting on to watch his opponents.

"You seem to be outnumbered Martin." Evelyn smiled faintly as she took in the odd sight. Scattered around the room were roughly 30 Ot'Hessan. It was impossible to tell exact numbers at a glance. They were clustered together in a semicircle around the chess set, some sprawling comfortably atop others in a manner that reminded her vaguely of a group of puppies piling together for warmth. Only a few of them were actually watching the board, but all seemed focused on the game based on what she could decipher of the images, emotions, and impressions she was picking up from the group.

"Yeah, but I'm still winning." He moved a black knight up one level and took a white bishop.

A white rook on the same level moved laterally and claimed a pawn. "Check." A synthesized voice announced.

Martin dropped his only remaining rook into a space to block. "Check and mate."

Surprise washed over the two Starfleet officers, and several more sets of eyes turned toward the board, examining it from different angles. "So it is," the synthesized voice allowed after a moment. "This is a fascinating game. I can see why it is so popular among your people."

"It's one of my favorites," Martin admitted. "Board games anyway."

"We aren't really designed for baseball," another synthesized voice pointed out. "Although I do find the statistics interesting. A simple game in some respects but mathematically complex."

"As cultural exchanges go," Anders commented mildly as she settled on a cushion next to Martin, "we seem to be coming up short. The histories I've read and the artworks I've seen are amazing, and we give you…games."

There was a wave of amusement from the Ot'Hessan. "Our histories are not nearly as colorful or exciting as yours," one of the translator equipped members of the group commented.

"That's a good thing," Anders pointed out ruefully. Repressing a sigh as she thought of some of Earth's more colorful periods, she continued. "So many parts of my home world's history are violent, showing us at our worst. Frankly, it's a bit embarrassing."

"That is true on every world, I imagine," the Ot'Hessan answered. "Strangely enough, some of the more unfortunate parts of our history involve people doing what they thought was best. Some things are obvious only in retrospect, such as when the Ot'Hessan of the southern coast needed resources and moved into the mountains. None of them realized that the region was inhabited at the time or that taking the resources the southerners needed would create such problems."

Anders nodded, allowing that that was true on many worlds. They spent the next hour talking about Ot'Hessan history and cultural development. This included forays into their art as well. The Ot'Hessan had painting, sculpture, and performance art, but literature, at least fiction, was thin on the ground. Poetry was also noticeably lacking. Music did exist, but it was considered an eccentricity, and it did not have the cultural presence or impact that it did on many worlds.

For their part, the Ot'Hessan found the odd patterns of sound, whether produced by voice or instrument, to be mostly noise. A mathematician in the group found the patterns of the more complex musical scores interesting, and had listened to Beethoven's symphonies repeatedly.

The lack of literature was less of a mystery after it was pointed out that most Ot'Hessan considered text to be a very limited form of communication. It was used for keeping records, preparing legal contracts, and creating accounts of historical events, but it was not used for telling each other stories. After a moment, Martin compared it to humans having a conversation via Morse code. It was functional, but it was also slow and clumsy and far from ideal for expressing ideas.

"Makes sense." Anders nodded. "Your method of communication is, to my knowledge, unique. When talking to you, we always get the impression that we're missing most of the meaning. I know Hessa tried hard to communicate with us, and it came easier to some than others. Usually, she seemed content if we got the general idea."

The conversation drifted to different forms of communication and then to cultural differences. Anders knew a few amusing stories about cultural misunderstandings. The Ot'Hessan didn't understand all of them, as the notion of spoken language was fairly new to them, but they knew enough to understand that mistakes could lead to awkward situations.

It was a good step, she later reflected, for establishing solid, lasting relations with the Ot'Hessan. She suspected that, one day, they would make fine additions to the Federation, being essentially in protectorate status already.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Whose idea was this again?" Davies asked as he wriggled across the courtyard, staying as low as possible to avoid the phaser fire.

"Yours." Yuki answered as she wriggled beside him, wincing as the red beams came entirely too close.

"Oh, right." He flattened as the wall they were using for cover suddenly became an inch shorter. "Why did you listen to me?"

"Temporary insanity?" She speculated as they picked up the pace. It wasn't quick or easy as they paused to return fire when the opportunity arose, but they reached the far side of the courtyard without being tagged. They hadn't hit either of their enemies either, but that wasn't really the point. "We're in position," Yuki said into her communicator.

"So are we." Travis called from inside the building, directly behind where Worf and Morris crouched, trying to get a bead on Davies and Yuki. The two targets of the training exercise whirled to find themselves being covered. "You two might want to give up."

"Please drop your weapons," Suvok instructed.

Worf and Morris put down their phasers. "How did you get back there?" Morris wanted to know. He'd secured the only other entrance to the building himself. They would have made a horrible racket if Travis and Suvok had come in that way.

"Save it for the review." Worf stood up. "Computer. End program. Good work. Debrief in conference room four in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir," the others responded as a group. They each went to clean up a bit before the meeting to review their performance. Davies changed out of his uniform. The dirt had vanished as soon as he'd left the holodeck, but the uniform was still mussed and sweat-soaked. The change only took a few moments and he headed for the conference room. He made it just under the wire.

"Well done, everyone." Worf said once they were seated. "The plan of attack was well orchestrated. Davies and Yuki serving as distractions while Travis and Suvok outflanked us. I believe I know how you got in. I want to hear it from you."

"You blocked the main entrance to the building with an elaborate trap." Suvok explained. "You were playing the parts of criminals, seeking to escape the consequences of your actions. It was logical that you would leave yourself a means of escape. We located that escape route and used it to gain entrance."

Worf nodded. "That was the appropriate answer. The profile you gave was of a desperate criminal, not unintelligent, and not the type to trap himself. Such operations rarely go as planned. Your ability to adapt in the heat of the moment can be crucial, as each of you know. I've prepared a series of holodeck training exercises. Each will test your ability to adapt. And after each, we will analyze your performance closely."

"Anything we could have done better today?" Davies asked.

"You tell me." Worf responded.

"Hmm." He thought a moment. "The diversion was a bit riskier than was strictly necessary, but all the more effective for it."

Worf nodded approvingly, and began to review each stage of the operation in detail. With a two week journey to the site of their next mission ahead of them, there would be ample time for such exercises. The _Enterprise_' chief of security had decided to take full advantage.

Heading into unknown space always brought the potential for new threats. They couldn't prepare for every eventuality, but they could have plans in place that would allow them to adapt quickly to new situations.

At the moment, the _Enterprise_ was carrying a delegation to the Vatai home world in order to establish formal diplomatic relations. The Vatai ship that had rendezvoused with them and collected the colonists had left the _Enterprise_ with protocols for communication with their government.

The _Enterprise_ had already used them to gather information on the Skreelii and the Alasi'ar and share what they themselves knew. So far, things were going well. The captain and the diplomats the ship carried were to build on that foundation to establish a lasting friendship. Setting a border, establishing communication channels, exchanging cultural information that would serve as a basis for trade, and hopefully the first steps toward a mutual defense agreement were all on the agenda.

It was overly optimistic, Davies thought, but that was not his area, so he kept his opinions to himself. He had his hands full with the current training regimen. Rose was hopeful that, since they were in the general area, first contact with the Alasi'ar could be arranged.

"I'm sure the captain is aware and has considered it. No one has said anything to me, though. I'll bring it up with commander Riker, and see what he knows."

"Thanks, daddy. I know a starship has more important things to do, but I can't help but be curious about them."

"One of the _Enterprise_' primary missions is to make peaceful first contact with other star-faring species. This would seem a good opportunity, but it's not my decision."

"I understand."

OOOOOOOOOO

Davies arranged to meet with Riker the next day. He laid out Rose' concerns and asked his question as quickly and simply as he could. He was still a bit embarrassed over what had happened on the away mission during which he'd gotten a concussion.

"I can understand her curiosity." Riker had allowed, sounding sympathetic. "Right now, our mission is to formalize diplomatic relations with the Vatai. Depending on how that goes, we'll see. We are in the neighborhood after all."

"That's what I was thinking." Davies admitted, not sure what Riker was leading up to or if he simply didn't know.

"A visit to them wouldn't be out of order, but we'd have to pass through Vatai space. The outcome of our current mission will have a lot to do with whether we can make contact with the Alasi'ar. I'll bring it up with the captain and see what our orders and our schedule allows."

"I appreciate that, sir." Davies knew that that had been the best he could reasonably hope for. Meeting the Alasi'ar was important to Rose, but the ship had its own priorities. It wasn't too much to hope for, but he had to be realistic, and he had told Rose as much.

"I've been told Rose has been a big help." Riker changed the topic. "The programs she's designed for various departments have increased efficiency by as much as 30% in some areas. She's been a real asset."

"She's smart and loves that kind of work. Wish I could take credit for it, but it all comes natural to her."

"An odd thing to say about an AI," Riker mused. "But I think you've had more of an effect on her than you realize. You might not have anything to teach her about computers, but she's fitting in better, making friends. She's a genuinely nice person and she's learning more about being part of a community every day. Some of that, at least, is your influence."

"I suppose it is." Davies acknowledged the point. "She makes me proud." He smiled. "Even if I've no reason to be."

"I know we'll be trying to make contact with the Alasi'ar at some point." Riker assured him. "I think you and Rose will be a part of that mission."

"It's too bad the Vatai don't know more about them," Davies said. "First contact… well any mission really, always goes smoother with more information."

Riker shrugged. "We do what we can. The captain has lots of experience with first contact, though. And he's rarely had much information to work with, if any, during those missions. Nothing is ever certain, lieutenant. Not in our line of work at any rate."

"True, sir. But we do the best we can."

"That we do." The _Enterprise'_ first officer agreed with a smile.

OOOOOOOOOO

"It's beautiful." The _Missouri_ made orbit on schedule with no unforeseen problems. View ports in the ship's mess provided an excellent view. UdyAna was a colorful planet to be sure. There were varying shades of green, brown, red, and white visible on the land. The seas were a darker shade of blue than on Earth, but they seemed to offset the colorful land perfectly.

"Yes. It sure is." Deborah agreed, placing a hand on Aela's shoulder. "The colony should be…right about there." She pointed to a river valley that ran to an ocean slightly smaller than the Indian Ocean. It would have counted as an inland sea if not for the two hundred kilometer wide channel that connected it to a much larger body of water to the northwest.

"The colony has contacted us." Captain Gangadharan spoke from behind them without preamble. "We can transport you to the colony at any time. Frasier will meet you."

Deborah nodded. "I'll let the delegation know." The _Missouri's_ captain, never one to waste words, nodded and withdrew. "Motor mouth."

Aela giggled. "I would think a starship captain would be more diplomatic."

"The _Missouri_ spends most of its time inside the Federation borders running errands between bases, member worlds, and colonies. I'm sure he can be diplomatic when he needs to be. At any rate, we should get going."

"Okay. The delegates are waiting."

Deborah cocked her head to one side, realizing that she was getting that impression, too. They were eager to see the colony and meet the people they hoped would be their new neighbors. "I think the entire ship know that."

"Most of them aren't too used to being around aliens," Aela said. "I wonder if that's why the captain was that way."

"Maybe," Deborah allowed, "but his first officer mentioned that he's normally pretty reserved. So, who knows." She checked the time. "Let's get going." They walked out of the mess and headed for the quarters where the delegation was organizing. Aela wasn't sure what they were organizing. They hadn't brought much with them. It wasn't like the Ot'Hessan wore clothes or carried much in the way of equipment.

That started an odd series of images in her head that made her giggle quietly and earned her a few curious looks from the Ot'Hessan when they entered the quarters. Deborah noted the exchange, but she decided not to ask.

"Time to head down. Frasier has been contacted and he's waiting for us." The delegates projected their eagerness, and she glanced about the room to see if she was forgetting anything, and then grabbed the case she'd prepared earlier and led the way to the transporter room. The transporter chief, a Vulcan ensign, nodded politely as they entered and waited for the entire group to take its place on the pad.

"Tranporter room one to bridge. The delegation is ready to beam down."

"Send them on their way," the captain responded over the comm. "Frasier is ready for them."

The familiar sensation of the transporter washed over Deborah and the room faded out, only to be replaced by a field of bluish-green grass. The sky was the same shade of blue as on Earth, but the air felt different in a way she couldn't immediately define. The sky was cloudless at the moment, and a cool breeze blew across the field.

To the east, or what Deborah judged to be east, was a long low prefab building. To the west was an open field that had been recently plowed. People were moving down the rows, planting seeds by hand. There was no sign of modern farm equipment.

"Welcome to UdYana."

Deborah turned from the field to find a man walking toward them. He was a thin man, rather short, with close-cropped blonde hair and a welcoming smile. "Keith Frasier?"

"Yes. You must be Dr. Chambers." He turned his attention to the delegation. "And this, I take it, is the Ot'Hessan delegation. Welcome. It is a pleasure to have you here."

Vitex moved forward, shifting his translator into position. "I am Vitex. On behalf of the Ot'Hessan, thank you for this opportunity. The People are grateful."

Frasier nodded, acknowledging the short speech, grateful that the communications would not be as awkward as he had feared. "When I was told of your plight, I could hardly do otherwise. UdYana is a big world." A note of some emotion Deborah couldn't identify crept into his voice. "Plenty of room for your people and mine, and I feel certain we can find common ground."

There was a brief pause before Vitex responded, and Deborah felt a flash of surprise and then curiosity from the designated ambassador. "Your statement about the room available on UdYana feels rueful." Vitex noted rather bluntly, Deborah thought. "Are things not as you expected here?"

If Frasier was surprised or angry over Vitex reading his emotions, he did not show it and evidently didn't feel it either. He chuckled. "Honest and direct as most telepathic species are. I appreciate those qualities. So I'll get straight to it. The number of people in the Federation willing to live as we do is surprisingly small." He admitted. "Embarrassingly small, actually. My species do like their creature comforts. There are enough of us for a sustainable colony, but this world will need a larger population to tame it. This is a simple statement of fact. We need you as much as you need a new world to live on. What remains to be seen is if our peoples can coexist."

Vitex considered this for a moment. "The information provided on this world does indicate that cooperation would yield the best results for both populations," Vitex concurred. "We reviewed the planetary survey and the initial reports that were included in the information we received. It is always preferable to communicate directly, though. Can you show us your colony and tell us about the challenges you've faced here?"

"Of course. Follow me. It will be a month before the _Missouri_ returns. That should be plenty of time to learn and address any concerns both groups have."

Frasier led the group along the edge of the field where a high yield grain was being planted. In a field to the south, root vegetables were already beginning to sprout. He told them that there were other fields farther out that they could visit, if they wished, later. There were only four main buildings at the moment and individual family homes were being constructed further north.

The building they'd first seen on arriving was a storehouse where much of their food store was kept, as well as tools, building materials and various household items that were being stored till the individual homes were ready. When the crops were harvested, much of it would be stored there, but a grain silo was being planned, as were additional storage facilities specifically for food, better sealed against environmental changes and native vermin. They had already determined that the planet had its own version of mice.

The building beyond the storehouse was basically a barracks. Living space was limited as yet, so many of the colonists currently on planet slept in the barracks. The close quarters, Frasier chuckled, gave them motivation to put up the prefab homes faster.

Frasier paused when he felt the reaction to the statement he'd made half in jest. He turned to glance curiously at the delegation. They felt surprised and confused at his statement. Despite his study, feeling someone else's emotions was not something he was really prepared for. _That_, he realized, _is going to take a little getting used to_.

"The Ot'Hessan are a very…social people." Deborah explained. "The idea of wanting to be alone with your own thoughts is strange to them. Even to those who've gotten used to being around aliens. It's normal for large numbers of them to live in close quarters." She glanced at Vitex. "It probably seems strange that we would work hard to put space between ourselves."

"Indeed," Vitex answered, fumbling a bit with his translator. "Such desires among my own people are considered a sign of mental aberration. It is one that has proven useful, ironically enough."

"I read the information provided about your people." Frasier nodded, thinking back. "They indicated as much. It must have been difficult for the pilots selected for the scouting mission, regardless of their…dispositions."

"It was." Vitex acknowledged. "Both Hessa and Sakura," an image of the two appeared in Aela, Deborah, and Frasier's minds, "were scout pilots. I can't imagine doing what they did." He paused as they approached another building, this one serving as a workshop/garage. "It must be hard for humans to understand our point of view. No one in your community would find it odd if you wanted to spend time alone or accepted a task that isolated you from others of your kind. For us, it is different."

"Perhaps it's just a matter of degree." Frasier suggested, having considered the issue. "We consider ourselves a very social people. While spending some time alone is not considered unusual, those who take it to an extreme can be a source of concern. It usually takes someone deliberately choosing to cut off contact for extended periods, months or even years, to provoke any worry, though."

"Perhaps," Vitex agreed as Frasier opened the door. "Hessa did seek out connections with others as soon as she was able." Images of Deborah and Aela flashed in their minds.

"Perfectly understandable," Frasier answered as Deborah and Aela traded looks. They'd gotten used to being completely honest with each other, thanks to Hessa. Telepathy, especially the form of communication the Ot'Hessan used, did not lend itself to casual deception of others or of one's self. Like many telepathic species, the Ot'Hessan could be unthinkingly honest. The polite lies humans and many other species indulged in were simply not understood. It led to awkward moments, occasionally, but all in all, Deborah believed she and Aela were better off for it.

"All three of us needed that connection." Deborah offered. "We needed each other."

Frasier nodded with a slight smile and led the way inside. They found themselves in a long corridor with a number of doors leading off it. "This is our workshop. Most of the machines that we can't get along without are stored here." He pointed to several doors in turn. "There are workshops for repairing electronic and mechanical devices, and spare parts are stored in there. We have an industrial replicator as well, but it doesn't get much use. We do most of our work by hand." He pointed to a door at the end of the building. "Over there is our vehicle bay. There are three cargo haulers for moving supplies, as well as three small scout vehicles for exploring as it becomes necessary."

He pointed to the door at the other end of the corridor. "That is our communications center and general admin area. What computers we have to use are there. The colony's records are stored there as well." He led the way to a cross corridor and through the building to a door leading out the other side. "The last building we have finished construction on is our hospital."

He pointed to another long low building. "We have two doctors with us and several people with medical training that serve as nurses when the need arises. At the moment, everyone wears several hats."

"How many people do you have here?" Aela asked.

"At the moment? Only about two hundred. We're expecting roughly four thousand by the time we're fully up and running."

"That is a small number for starting a colony," Deborah admitted. "I'm surprised the Federation agreed to it."

"We have tentative agreements from others, but I'm not counting on them. Some have families whose members don't relish the idea of moving away from the comforts of the settled Federation worlds." He shook his head resignedly. "We do like our creature comforts. Life in the modern Federation is far too convenient. We rely on technology for everything and have forgotten how to do even the simplest things without a computer. Frankly, I find it worrying. That's why I founded this colony. We aren't going entirely 'back to nature' despite what some of our detractors have indicated. The medical facilities are fully modern." He glanced at Deborah. "Not a leech to be found."

Deborah rolled her eyes at the variation on what was an old joke in the medical field. She glanced at the delegation when she felt their curiosity. "Really, folks. You'll be happier not knowing."

Frasier laughed softly as he led them toward the hospital to continue the tour. This, he decided, was going to be interesting.

OOOOOOOOOO

Martin brought the shuttle out of warp and made adjustments necessary to smoothly enter orbit 10,000 kilometers from the Ot'Hessan explorer ship. "Hailing the ship," he said, responding to the images projected by the council members aboard. Text that he still couldn't quite read appeared on one of the screens. "Colony is off to a good start, it seems." He got the gist of the message.

"Good to hear." Evelyn Anders moved up from the back of the shuttle and took the copilot seat. "I'm eager to see how they go about setting up a colony." She checked the scans. "I only see one ship. I thought two were sent here."

One of the council overheard the question and projected an image of an explorer ship in flight, followed by an image of the home world and an impression of busy industry.

"Already heading back for another load of colonists?" Anders glanced toward the council where they were gathered at the back of the shuttle. She received a projection of affirmation. "Nice to know things are going so well."

"They planned things out pretty well," Martin said, making some minor adjustments to their course and heading. To get the council members in range of 'normal' communication, he'd have to nearly land on the explorer ship's hull.

The tidally locked world, simply designated 'colony 1,' boasted a breathable atmosphere and compatible life forms for food, and no overly dangerous predators. That made it one of the best they'd found so far. No one knew quite what to expect of the weather, as there were virtually no M-class tidally locked worlds. The conditions on the few that existed tended to vary widely. The Ot'Hessan had made the decision to build their structures to withstand virtually anything. That, of course, was easier said than done.

Martin detected shuttles moving between the explorer ship and the colony, ferrying people, supplies, and equipment. The shuttle came to within 10 meters of the explorer ship and settled in to fly in close formation, as the Federation shuttle could not dock directly with the ship; incompatible equipment. He could feel the communication flowing between the council members and the crew of the ship, exchanging information, but he didn't pay too much attention as it wasn't directed at him, and the information wasn't immediately relevant. They'd let him know if he was needed for something specific.

Anders, he noted, was paying rapt attention, but it was probably moving too fast for her to understand more than about 40%. She had taken to their method of communication fairly easily, which was one of the reasons why she'd been chosen for the mission. He couldn't tell how much she was getting, but she seemed satisfied to listen.

One of the council members projected an image of the shuttle landing at the colony.

"Right. ETA, 20 minutes." He gently guided the shuttle away from the explorer ship and headed for the planet's surface. The small ship moved smoothly down from orbit and into the atmosphere. As the explorer ship was in geostationary orbit over the colony, it wouldn't be a long trip. He locked onto the navigational beacon set up at Colony 1 and started down, running routine scans as he did.

The scans revealed that construction had already begun at the chosen site, a wide river valley a few degrees north of the equator. It wasn't long before the buildings themselves became visible. They weren't elaborate or colorful, but they did look fairly solid. Two large structures were at the center of the effort, and three smaller ones were spaced evenly around the larger structures at 12:00, 4:00, and 8:00. They were the whole of it at the moment.

There were several ships moving about in the lower atmosphere, and track mounted vehicles moving across the ground. As they drew closer, Martin was able to make out land cleared for new construction and plowed fields outside the circle. The navigational beacon directed him to an area at the southern edge of the colony, just inside the perimeter established by the three towers. He could see now that that was what they were, and he wondered at their function. There was nothing on the planet to guard against, at least as far as he knew.

Bringing the shuttle down smoothly, he shut down the engines and opened the hatch for the delegates. The dozen Ot'Hessan spilled out and began making their way toward the central buildings. A small crowd came out to meet them, and they were soon an undifferentiated mass of feathery bodies.

Martin and lt. Anders skirted the group and headed for the colony's center. Martin looked about as they walked, noting the low bush equivalents. They had the general appearance and texture of certain desert plants on Earth. The succulents were tough, but lacked thorns. Each formed a bowl ideal for catching water. The ground cover was mostly slender grass like plants with narrow stalks that flared out at the top, turning a rather pretty shade of blue.

Botany was not his subject, but he wondered at the structure of the plants he saw. The ones he could see seemed designed to extract and hold moisture. The fan-like leaves were creased slightly, providing water a channel to run down. That might say some interesting things about the weather on the planet, and he decided he should ask about the colony's water situation. He tabled the thoughts for later, though, as they approached the buildings.

The two buildings were, respectively, living space for the entire current population, and a combination storehouse and command center for colony operations. They looked about as they moved toward the command center. Construction was proceeding rapidly. A lot more had been done in the previous six weeks than they had thought possible.

"Well," Martin allowed. "They are much better at communicating and coordinating their efforts than most races."

Anders nodded. "Still very impressive." She looked about and considered carefully as they walked. "You've got their machines to study and see if you can improve, I've got the colony's newly evolving social structure to learn about. I think we'll have our hands full."

"I like a challenge." Martin smiled. Then he glanced about at the rushing Ot'Hessan he could see in the distance. "Things are going to change for 'em," Martin noted. "The 'warmth of the whole' is going to be seriously diminished here."

"We don't know if there's a threshold of some sort." Anders said thoughtfully. "It might take several thousand or a million to achieve a similar effect for them."

"We do know they don't like bein' without it."

"The larger the community, the happier and healthier they are as a society. That's what their history and all of their studies in psychology indicate."

Martin frowned. "I don't see that there's much we can to do for them about that."

"Right now, the point is to learn," Anders explained. "Societal problems aren't solved overnight, and we don't even fully understand the nature of this problem." She gestured for him to follow her to the south, around the control center to the vehicle bay entrance. Accommodations for their human friends had not been part of the design for the colony structures.

Several Ot'Hessan came out to meet them. A large blue female emerged slightly ahead of the group and addressed them, using a translator. "Welcome to colony 1. We have been told you wish to study our methods."

"That's right." Martin nodded. "I've gotten a pretty good feel for your technology while I was on SkyHome, but the terraforming methods are hard to examine on a space station."

Anders addressed the group. "I'm here to study how your people react to this new situation. While isolation has been studied in your people, in ships that could return home at any time, this situation is new."

"Yes," the spokesman with the translator agreed after a moment. "The warmth of the whole is greatly diminished here, and it could be years before we are reunited with the whole."

"There are more colonists coming," Martin pointed out. "Thousands."

"That will be welcome," the spokesman agreed, and both humans could feel the agreement and eagerness of the others. Anders nodded. She had expected that reaction. _This is going to be interesting_.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Approaching the Alasi'ar system." The ensign at the helm reported as he made preparations to drop out of warp.

"Drop out of warp," Picard ordered, as predicted. "We know nothing about these people and don't wish to cause any alarm."

"Dropping out of warp, aye."

"Scan the system." All they had to go on was the long range scan provided by the Vatai. Picard wanted a better idea of what they were walking into.

"The system has 13 planets," Data reported. "The five outer planets are gas giants. Number seven is class Y. The only habitable planet in the system is the fourth planet. It reads as L-class. The rest are uninhabitable barren rocks. There are a total of 103 moons in the system. Sensors indicate none are M-class."

"Any sign of the Alasi'ar?" Riker asked.

"The L-class planet has a network or artificial satellites. I am reading signal traffic between them and the surface." His console beeped as the _Enterprise_ passed the 10th planet. "We are being scanned. Sensors now indicate concealed satellites in the rings of the closest gas giant. I would hypothesize that there are similar satellites throughout the system."

"Makes sense." Riker glanced at his captain. "With neighbors like the Skreelii, I'd want plenty of warning about unexpected guests, too."

Picard nodded absently. "Let them have a good look. We've nothing to hide."

The _Enterprise_ sailed on unchallenged until it approached the fourth planet. There was a ship waiting for them in orbit. It was larger and better armed than the Alasi'ar vessel they'd discovered months ago.

"Impressive design," Riker murmured as the ship became clearly visible on screen.

"They are hailing us." Worf reported.

Picard stood; his expression carefully neutral. There was no telling what might offend an alien race during first contact. It was always a careful balance, projecting the right image while trying to read an alien race he'd never met for signs of their feelings and potential reactions. It was a complex, occasionally nerve-wracking process. He loved this part of the job.


	22. Winning Friends and Influencing People

See chapter 1 for disclaimers.

CH. 22 Winning Friends and Influencing People

The Alasi'ar shield ship, _Murak's Valor_, had been in service for only a few standard months. Decider Imins was largely pleased with his new vessel. It was a considerable change from his previous post commanding the border station in the Mathel system, but he felt it a distinct step up. The border station, he had known, was considered a training post for those being groomed for greater things, but to move from that to command of a shield ship was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

At 38, he was not the youngest to ever obtain the rank of decider, but he was close. There was a certain amount of pride to be had in his new posting, but Imins was more concerned in doing his duty to the best of his ability, and serving the gods of the Alasi'ar and the Theocracy Defense Force with honor. His current posting indicated that he had succeeded so far.

At present, the _Murak's Valor_ was orbiting Chul's Bounty. A dreary world at the edge of Alasi'ar territory; the only thing remarkable about the barely M-class planet was the richness of the mineral deposits. Dilithium, coromite, gold, and many others were there in abundance, and the mining colony Theocracy had established there, thrived.

Chul's Bounty had a visitor. They were, of course, aware of the Vatai, but they did not encourage contact. The outsiders had nothing they wanted. The Vatai respected their border and their wishes, and left them in peace. Whoever these new arrivals were, though, they weren't the Vatai.

Decider Imins watched the strange ship with curiosity, but no real trepidation. They had approached openly with their shields down and weapons inactive. The design was impressive, he had to admit, even if not as esthetically pleasing as those built by the Alasi'ar.

"They are hailing us," First Communicator Toma reported. "We are detecting no hostile programs embedded in the transmission protocol."

"On screen."

The sight that greeted him was somewhat unusual. He counted three separate species in the command center. All were bipedal with two arms, and were all rather thick bodied. This was likely normal for them, Imins allowed, but distinctly unattractive. He decided to open communication on a cautious but friendly note.

"I am Decider Imins of the Alasi'ar Theocracy. You approach the world of Chul's Bounty openly with weapons sheathed, which is always a good beginning. Please identify yourself and state your intentions."

"I am Captain Jean Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets starship, _Enterprise_. We approach in peace, in the hopes of opening a dialog with your people. Our mission is to establish peaceful contact with the peoples we encounter."

"A laudable goal," Imins allowed. "We do not have much contact with outsiders, and that is by choice, but friendly overtures are always appreciated."

"It saddens me to say that we also bring news of one of your vessels discovered near our space. We answered a distress call to find what we later learned to be an Alasi'ar vessel dead in space. It seemed to have suffered an accident of a nature we could not determine. We have our sensor logs and the reports on the incident we are willing to give to you."

"A lost ship?" Imins frowned, wracking his brain. There had been no recent reports of missing vessels to his knowledge. "The crew?"

"No survivors, unfortunately. All we have to offer is news of the ship's fate."

"That is much appreciated. Please transmit the data. My officers can review it while we speak." He gestured out of view of the projected image to his First Communicator, and the man nodded before setting to work.

"Of course, Decider." Picard looked to one of his officers and that individual nodded, the same sort of silent communication that Imins and his crew used, the decider noted. "Decider Imins, seeking out and making peaceful contact with other races is one of our primary missions. It is one of our highest laws that we not interfere with the internal affairs of other races. If it is your desire that there be no further contact between us, then that will be respected, however, I would suggest that an exchange of basic cultural information and the setting of borders would be beneficial in preventing any future misunderstandings."

The alien's face twitched in a manner that Imins suspected meant that he was remembering something unpleasant.

"Not all races we encounter," Picard continued, "are interested in such courtesies."

"I take it you've met the Skreelii." Imins could understand the reaction if that were the case.

"We have," Picard nodded, confirming Imins' suspicion. "A most…unpleasant encounter."

"The Skreelii are a most unpleasant people." Imins said. "The Vatai, who you must have encountered given your heading, have respected our wishes and maintained the border. The Skreelii, however, make regular forays into our territory. They attack colonies and border stations they claim are in their space. We give them a bloody nose and they retreat, only to attack somewhere else when they think they see an opening. They are more of an irritant than a serious threat." Somewhat understated, but not exactly a lie. Imins felt Chul would approve if it helped to save the lives of his worshippers.

He knew that Daxi, the trickster, would approve. Being deceitful in the cause of preserving peace and safety was acceptable if not taken to extremes. They knew nothing of this Federation Picard represented, and it was best to begin with a show of confidence.

"We will be happy to share what we have learned of them during our encounters. I doubt any of it will be news to you, but one can never be sure."

"That also would be appreciated." Imins nodded. He offered a genuine smile. "You are succeeding in making a good first impression, Captain Picard."

The alien returned his smile. "That is the aim of every first contact, Decider Imins."

"First contacts also have an element of give and take to them. You've offered us quite a bit. I find myself wondering what you want beyond establishment of borders."

"Very perceptive, Decider. I do have an important matter to discuss with you regarding your lost ship. The situation is…somewhat unusual. May we meet face to face to discuss it?"

"We will review the information you've provided and be in contact. I believe we do have much to discuss." He consulted the chronometer. "Half a planetary rotation from now should do it."

"Agreed." Picard stated. "One half of a planetary rotation of the world below us. I would like to invite you aboard at that time for a tour and a discussion of our future."

"We will speak then." Imins gestured to his First Communicator and the channel closed. "Interesting. I wonder what he wishes to meet about?"

"Perhaps it is merely a ploy to put you at their negotiating table. All the better to seek concessions." His first officer, as per their custom, had stayed silent and observed the meeting closely. Imins had found Brula's insights to be quite valuable in the past.

"Perhaps," Imins answered his second-in-command, "but that isn't the impression I got." Setting the matter aside for the moment, he turned to his First communicator. "Toma. Do you have any news?"

"The ship they found is an older model Ivari class cruiser. It may take a little time to identify."

"That has priority. The records of their encounter with the Skreelii can wait."

"Yes Decider." Toma turned back to his station, immersing himself in the data.

OOOOOOOOOO

The appointed time arrived, and Imins and Toma had themselves transported to the alien vessel, the _Enterprise_, apparently. Toma, being an expert on alien languages and cultures, as much of one as he had available at any rate, was a natural choice to bring to the meeting. His assessment of the aliens would be invaluable in future dealings with them, if there were any.

What information he'd found on the Ivari class cruiser, what little there was to find, was another reason he was accompanying his commanding officer. The _Wandering Eye_ had been a survey vessel, and had disappeared almost eight years ago while on a mapping mission. The data the _Enterprise_ had provided did not indicate it had been adrift for nearly that long. What had the crew been doing? Where had they been? Toma had served on the ship twelve years before, and knew something of the ship and crew. Hopefully, he would have some insights.

It was unlikely the aliens could answer the questions they had, based on the reports he had reviewed, but it was worth investigating. The transporter deposited them in a functional but unadorned room. Captain Picard, as the limited cultural information provided indicated he should be addressed and one of his officers were waiting.

"Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_, Decider Imins. This is my ship's counselor, Deanna Troi."

"Greetings." Imins nodded politely. "This is First Communicator Toma."

Picard nodded politely. "If you will follow me, I'll show you the _Enterprise_. Then we can get down to business." He led the way down a functional corridor in an odd shade of light brown. Imins wondered but didn't bother to ask. A computer interface ran along the wall, which was likely seen as a convenience but could easily be a security weakness. Again, he didn't ask. The tour lasted about an hour, and Imins was shown laboratories of every variety and, much to his surprise, a garden. It was an odd thing to have on a starship. Clearly these people were dedicated explorers, as Picard claimed, and just as clearly, they liked their creature comforts.

He saw representatives of three more species in the corridors. On asking, he was told that the United Federation of Planets was made up of more than 80 species spread across hundreds of planets.

"Such diversity can be a source of great strength, I'm sure," Imins observed, "and more than a few headaches."

"Very true on both counts," Picard admitted.

"The Alasi'ar Theocracy is one race that finds strength in our solidarity. We ask nothing of others as we require nothing. Our gods provide us with the raw materials we need and guide us as they think best, placing blessings and challenges aplenty before us."

"Opportunities come in many forms, Decider. Our own people have a saying. God works in mysterious ways. Whether something new coming into our lives is a blessing or a curse is rarely entirely clear at first."

"That often depends on us." Imins nodded, understanding where Picard was going with his speech. "If you are suggesting that contact with your people could be a blessing, I can only say I will reserve judgment until I learn more."

"That is all anyone could ask." Picard acknowledged the point with the practiced ease of a skilled diplomat.

At the end of the tour, the captain led them at last to a conference room where several people were waiting. He introduced his first officer, security chief, chief medical officer, and one of his junior security officers. On the table was a very familiar bit of technology.

"A disaster recorder?" Toma said, stepping forward to examine it. "From the _Wandering Eye_, I take it?"

"_Wandering Eye_?" Picard asked, raising an eyebrow in an expression that suggested the words meant something specific to him.

"The survey vessel you encountered." Imins clarified. "It was called the _Wandering Eye_." He considered. "The data you sent us did not contain a download from this. Have you been unable to access it?" The data the aliens provided had contained no mention of the device either, but he saw no point in bringing that up.

"There was no data to transmit. We were forced to put it to another use." Picard explained as they took seats around the table. "You see, there was one survivor; the ship's artificial intelligence. Lieutenant Davies can provide a full account." He indicated the alien in the gold uniform that apparently indicated security. "But I'll summarize. He encountered the artificial intelligence from the _Wandering Eye_ when he used one of your neural interfaces to try to access the ship's systems to free trapped crewmates."

Imins listened carefully to the story, not sure what to make of any of it. The avatars of the Alasi'ar ships were limited by design and programming. The death of the ship should have been the end of the avatar. The notion that one would be able to survive separated from the ship was absurd. Yet there she suddenly was, watching them from a screen on the wall. He stared at the image of the young female Alasi'ar who smiled shyly at him and waved.

"Decider Imins, this is Rose Davies."

"You named the avatar?" The idea of an avatar having an identity separate from its ship was bizarre, but there was little about the story that wasn't.

"Well, we had to call her something," Lieutenant Davies offered. "She's been a tremendous asset to us and an amazing daughter to me."

"Thank you, daddy."

_Daughter? Daddy?_ _What by all the gods is happening here?_ Imins glanced at Toma, who seemed as floored by all of this as he felt. Sending a brief prayer for guidance winging toward Chul, he took a deep, steadying breath.

"It might be difficult to believe, decider, but the situation is as strange to us as it is to you. When Rose was brought to the _Enterprise_, damage to the _Wandering Eye's_ computer systems had cost her access to most of her memory. When Lieutenant Davies loaded her into the disaster recorder, everything else was left behind. She knows nothing of her previous existence. Her first memories are of Lieutenant Davies finding her in the computer system and being kind to her."

That made a small amount of sense. A lack of memory of any connection to her ship might explain why she didn't automatically shut down. But…

Toma broke in, sounding incredulous. "Are you saying that the _Wandering Eye's_ avatar imprinted on him like a new-hatched brightwing?"

"Essentially," Counselor Troi agreed. "Rose has been curious about the people who created her. Our assignment to make contact with your people presented an opportunity."

"Well…" Imins broke off, feeling completely at sea. "I'm sorry. This is not at all what I expected. Avatars are extremely limited by their very design. They are intended to serve, to be, one ship. They were not intended to be portable, much less to adapt to serve as avatars for alien vessels." As security breaches went, this was disastrous, even without the avatar's memories.

"Rose is not the _Enterprise_' avatar." Picard corrected. "She has certain freedoms within our systems, but is an independent intelligence, not bound to the ship."

"Forgive me, captain," Imins answered, "but I don't see how that's possible. Avatars are intended to have no existence beyond service in one capacity to one ship, and are neither sentient nor intended to become so. The very design should make that impossible." There was, he realized, that years-long period in which the _Wandering Eye_ was out of contact. Sadly, there was likely no way of knowing what had transpired during that time.

"Rose seems to have surpassed her designer's expectations, then." Davies noted. "By a wide margin."

Imins regarded the image on the screen that was, he noted, examining him right back with open and obvious curiosity. He found its scrutiny, frankly, disturbing. After a moment's awkward silence, he addressed the former avatar.

"You wish to know more about the Alasi'ar; our culture and history?"

"Yes sir," Rose answered politely. "I have no memories prior to meeting daddy, and I'd like to know what I was before. And I want to know about the people who made me. Who wouldn't?"

"I can understand that," Imins said diplomatically as he tried to wrap his head around the notion that an avatar could grow into something else. Something that could act independently, express curiosity, and there was no telling what else. He'd worked enough with his own ship's avatar to see that Rose had left her design specs floundering in her wake. Avatars did not have personalities and they did not initiate dialogues without express pre-existing orders. It was impossible to tell what this avatar had become or how without tests that he doubted would be allowed, but it was critical that he find out what he could.

Such considerations didn't even touch on the notion of giving aliens they had just met detailed information about classified technology. The avatars were fairly new tech, but they had proven their worth time and again. Such advantages were only advantages, though, if they stayed secret.

Offering a quick prayer to Daxi to guide him through the verbal minefield he was entering, he began with the simple truth. "The difficulty lies in that I'm not even sure where to begin. While I can prepare a diplomatic package for the Federation containing some basic cultural and historical data, I doubt it would answer many of your questions. Information about the avatars is strictly controlled, much as I'm sure the Federation protects its own potentially dangerous technology." He saw Lieutenant Davies frown slightly but nod in understanding.

"I don't believe any avatar has ever been in the situation you found yourself in," he continued. "Consequently, none have ever had the opportunity to develop as you have. It is fascinating, though. I'm not sure what our scientists will make of you. The ones who develop and program the avatars for our ships will be fascinated." _Or terrified_, he added silently. There were quite a few in the scientific community who had referred to the development of the technology as playing in the gods' domain, even with the severe limitations and safeguards in place. If Rose' existence were to become common knowledge, the avatars would likely be shut down en masse. While Imins had his concerns about the current situation, his work in the defense forces had given him a more practical mindset, and he did not want to see that happen.

Rose frowned. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

"I doubt your opinion will be considered," Imins said truthfully. "Our scientists aren't used to having their tools talk back to them." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lieutenant Davies stiffen at his words.

"Decider," Picard interjected delicately. "Rose is, by our laws, a sentient and free person."

"Really?" Imins didn't have to fake his surprise. "That would suggest that she is not unique." He didn't like the implications of that at all. He had hoped merely to convince them that keeping Rose secret would be in her best interests.

"Her circumstances are unique," Picard allowed, "but there are other artificial lifeforms within the Federation. Their rights are protected."

"Does that include Moriarty?" Rose asked out of the blue. The aliens at the table looked startled and turned to stare at her.

"How do you know about him?" Riker asked for the group.

"Been perusing the ship's logs again?" Davies asked.

"Nothing classified," Rose assured them. "When I found out about the EMH program, and why did you make that one such a grump? I went looking and found the files about Moriarty. I just had to ask the right questions."

"I hope you didn't try to talk to him," Riker said, frowning. The worry in the first officer's voice, assuming he was interpreting the emotion correctly, had Imins even more confused.

"I couldn't if I wanted to," Rose answered easily. "His module isn't connected to the main computer. He sounds kind of scary, anyway."

"That's good," Riker sighed. "The last thing we need is getting him riled up."

"Gentlebeings," Imins interjected. "Who is this Moriarty and what is an EMH?"

"Moriarty is a long story, Decider." Picard answered in a tone that suggested he would have rather avoided the topic. "He was created as a result of an accident. He is a sentient computer program who caused some problems for us, and is currently living out a life of sorts in a computer that is isolated from the main system. It is rather difficult to explain without telling the whole story, which is irrelevant at this point. An EMH is a holographic program that can, in emergencies, assist a ship's doctor or even fill in for one if the need arises."

"The EMH has the capacity to learn and grow," Doctor Crusher supplied, "but I have severe doubts about one filling in for a flesh and blood doctor."

Imins was silent for a time, as he considered what he had just heard. His plans had just been changed for him. "To be perfectly blunt, captain, my own people would not react well to the notion. The authorities of the Theocracy would consider the existence of such…_beings_ to be an absolute blasphemy against the gods."

"Would that include Rose?" Davies asked.

"Especially Rose." Toma answered. "The leadership is extremely conservative, especially in matters of faith. The notion of an avatar that can think for itself? Feel?" He shook his head. "I also don't believe her, ah, development was any kind of an accident." He looked at Davies. "You spoke of her surpassing her designer's expectations. It would be rather akin to you or I surpassing the gods' expectations by growing wings."

"You mean someone deliberately changed me?" Rose asked, breaking into the conversation.

"You said the _Wandering Eye_ was out of contact for years." Riker pointed out astutely.

"It seems likely." Imins was unhappy about Toma's revelation, but he admitted that it was something that likely had to be considered and brought into the open. "We will likely never know what happened aboard that ship, but it would have profound repercussions for us if the truth about…Rose, came out." He looked at Toma with a silent warning not to say any more.

"You are suggesting that this remain a secret?" Picard asked.

"It must." Imins nodded. "For all our sakes. The theocracy would not respond well, and none of us would like the actions they might take." He sighed. "Captain. I know you hoped for better, but beyond a setting of borders, the contact between our two peoples must end."

"If you feel that's best, Decider Imins. We will comply."

"I'm being placed in a most uncomfortable position, Captain Picard." Imins admitted. "The commanding officer of any ship is used to making decisions for their ship and crew. Making decisions about what my government needs to know is not something I ever believed I would have to do."

"I can appreciate that," Picard said, his tone rueful. Imins didn't doubt the alien was thinking back on some of his own difficult decisions. "We've no wish to create internal problems for your people. That would go against our Prime Directive not to interfere in the affairs of other worlds."

"I'm pleased to hear it." Imins nodded in satisfaction. He was not easy with the decision, but he did believe it was best for all concerned. Steeling himself for the bizarre experience, he addressed the former avatar of the _Wandering Eye_. "I am sorry if you hoped for more from your homecoming. It really is in your best interests that there be no further contact."

"I am getting that impression." Rose sighed, actually sighed. Imins decided not to think about it. "It's too bad I can't meet more of the Alasi'ar, maybe the people who designed me. I suppose that can't happen."

"Your designers would not respond well to your…upgrade." Toma agreed.

"I understand." Rose sounded disappointed, which rather than eliciting sympathy, merely made Imins want to get the ship and its disturbing crew out of Alasi'ar territory all the quicker. Hiding his discomfort with an effort, he managed to smile at the technological aberration.

"It is commonly held as truth by every race I know of that life isn't fair. We simply have to deal with it and live as best we can." Rose nodded, and he noted the Federation officers doing the same.

"A near universal notion in my experience," Picard offered. "Having family and friends helps with that, Rose. You have both aboard the _Enterprise_."

"I think it is time that we get down to the business of setting a border," Imins offered, wishing to move on to a less disturbing topic. "We will provide the requisite maps as well as basic information about the Theocracy. This includes communication protocols, should the need ever arise. You seem a good people to me and well worth knowing, but for the moment, I don't believe that further contact would benefit anyone."

"Very well, Decider Imins. Let us part as friends then, and hope to someday renew that friendship."

OOOOOOOOOO

Imins watched with carefully hidden relief as the _Enterprise_ warped out of orbit. He stood on the bridge of the _Murak's Valor_, silently wishing them a safe journey and a prolonged absence from Theocracy space_._

"What did they want to discuss with you?" His first officer had seen to all the details in his usual efficient manner, and he had held his questions. Until now.

"They had managed to access a section of the _Wandering Eye's_ damaged computer. The section of memory contained mainly personal logs, including final messages from the crew. They have great respect for such things and thought it would be disrespectful to simply transmit such sensitive information to us."

"They wanted to hand it over personally?" Brula seemed surprised but not disapproving of such a custom.

Imins nodded. "I assured them that the messages would reach the families of the lost crew. I promised to see to it personally, which I will."

"An odd people," Brula commented as he and Imins took their stations.

"Yes," Imins agreed. "But respectful of others' cultures and beliefs. A decent folk all said."

"Did you learn much about them?" the first officer asked.

"A little. They have their own beliefs and cultural edicts. Some of which would conflict harshly with our own if we associated with them too long. Their captain was disappointed, but he agreed to respect our territory and our desire to be left alone."

"That's good." Brula nodded. "Now, if we can just convince the Skreelii to do the same."


End file.
